Department for Transport

Electric Vehicles

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what proportion of cars he estimates will be electric in the UK in 2020.

Andrew Jones: The Government wants almost every car and van in the UK to be a zero emission vehicle by 2050. This will mean that all new cars and vans should be zero emission by 2040. In 2013 the Government’s strategy for ultra low emission vehicles set out an expectation that ULEVs could make up 3-7% of new car sales in 2020. Uptake in this new market is difficult to predict, and depends largely on the speed with which car manufacturers make new models available. In the last quarter of 2015, ULEVs represented 1.3% of new car registrations in the UK. This is toward the upper end of the growth projections set out in 2013.

Humber Bridge: Large Goods Vehicles

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons a high-sided heavy goods vehicle which overturned on the Humber Bridge on 1 February 2016 was permitted to cross the bridge while the bridge was closed to all high-sided vehicles due to high winds; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Jones: Safety on the Humber Bridge is the responsibility of the Humber Bridge Board in cooperation with the local police.

Transport: Finance

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2015 to Question 18956, if he will provide details of the new Access fund for sustainable travel.

Mr Robert Goodwill: On 15 February 2016, we announced that the new Access fund would be launched later in 2016 for delivery in 2017/18, and will be preceded by a £20m Sustainable Travel Transition Year for 2016/17.

Bus Services: Visual Impairment

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the benefits to passengers with sight problems of requiring all new buses to have audio-visual next stop and final destination announcements.

Andrew Jones: Accessible on-board information has the potential to give a range of passengers, including those who are visually impaired, greater confidence in using bus services. Traditionally audio/visual systems have been expensive to fit and maintain, however innovative and low cost solutions are making the technology more affordable. I encourage bus operators to consider the benefits to all of their customers of providing it on their vehicles and progress continues to be made. For example recently several operators across the country have invested in new buses with audio-visual announcements on their major bus routes. The Department is also aware that at least five local authorities are increasing the number of buses with audio-visual announcements funded through the Department’s £70 million ‘Better Bus Area’ fund.

Network Rail: Buildings

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, by what proportion the rent for premises leased by Network Rail has increased for businesses based in (a) Bethnal Green and Bow constituency, (b) London and (c) England in each of the last five years.

Claire Perry: I am unable to provide this information as it is held by Network Rail and is commercially sensitive.

Aviation: Noise

Dr Tania Mathias: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which body is responsible for enforcement of aircraft noise abatement requirements.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Government sets noise abatement procedures at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. These are set out in Noise Abatement Requirements Notice(s) made under section 78 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982. At other airports these are agreed locally often through local planning agreements. Where the Government sets the procedures these are monitored by the airports’ noise and track keeping systems which receives data from National Air Traffic Services (NATS) radars and permanent noise monitors located around the airport. Adherence to the noise abatement procedures are reported via the airports flight performance report which will be available on the airports website. Fines are imposed at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airport for breaching noise departure limits.

Heathrow Airport

Dr Tania Mathias: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to update the Heathrow Airport London (Noise Abatement Requirements) Notice 2010 to require higher minimum rates of climb for aircraft taking off from Heathrow Airport.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The requirements are kept under review to take account of any relevant new evidence. However, I have no plans at present to update the Heathrow Airport London (Noise Abatement Requirements) Notice 2010.

Heathrow Airport

Dr Tania Mathias: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the rates of climb of aircraft taking off from Heathrow Airport compared to other (a) UK and (b) European airports.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Department for Transport (DfT) has not made any assessment of rates of climb from Heathrow airport compared to any other airports. The Government is aware of an independent report published last year on climb rates at Heathrow airport. The airport is working with the industry and the CAA to understand the issues and what this means from a noise perspective. DfT sits on the Heathrow Noise Community Forum where this work programme is being taken forward.

London, Tilbury and Southend Railway Line

Sir David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with C2C on the effect of changes to its timetable on consumer satisfaction.

Claire Perry: I met with c2c on the 10th February. I have asked them to make proposals to adjust their plans to deliver a more attractive balance between service levels and overcrowding, and the Department will work with c2c to deliver these at the earliest opportunity.

London, Tilbury and Southend Railway Line

Sir David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received on the effect of changes in the timetable of C2C services.

Claire Perry: In addition to the representations made by my Honourable Friend, the Department has received 30 representations on the effect of changes in the timetable of C2C services.

Railways: North of England

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether proposals for Northern Powerhouse Rail are based on city centre to city centre connectivity and on ensuring half-hour journeys between Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester.

Andrew Jones: Northern Powerhouse Rail is the government and Transport for the North’s shared vision to dramatically improve frequencies and journey times between the city centres of Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, Hull, Newcastle, and Manchester Airport. The aspiration for journey times between Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester is 30 minutes. Since the publication of the March 2015 Northern Transport Strategy, the government and Transport for the North have undertaken significant work to understand what the capability of the rail infrastructure would need to be, by route, to deliver such transformational connectivity. An updated Strategy will be published in the spring.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the independent costings of linking High Speed 2 to the Northern Powerhouse Rail work for both Manchester and Sheffield city centre station locations.

Andrew Jones: Since the publication of the March 2015 Northern Transport Strategy, the government and Transport for the North have undertaken significant work to understand what the capability of the rail infrastructure – between and within cities - would need to be to deliver the Northern Powerhouse Rail vision. Network Rail and HS2 Ltd. are currently working to establish the scale of investment required. We expect to have an understanding of the relative scale of costs by autumn 2016.

Volkswagen

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2016 to Question 25018, what his Department's estimate is of the cost of the Emissions Testing Programme; and what Skoda's financial contribution is to the ongoing testing of VW vehicles outside that programme.

Andrew Jones: There is an initial budget of £650k for the Emissions Testing Programme. To retain independence we are not seeking contributions from manufacturers. Where testing is being done specifically on Skoda vehicles outside of this test programme, Skoda will be charged on a case by case basis by the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA). The fees are set out in The Motor Vehicles (Type Approval and Approval Marks)(Fees) Regulations 1999, as amended. VCA will charge between £8,000 and £10,000 per vehicle. The emissions test facilities will be charged separately.

Highways England

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of Highways England's compliance with the conditions on environmental duties set out in paragraphs 5.23 and 5.24 of the Highways England: Licence, published in April 2015.

Andrew Jones: The Office for Rail and Road (ORR), as Highways Monitor, published a six month report on Highways England’s performance in December 2015. This comments on the Highways England Biodiversity Action Plan, which was published in June 2015. ORR will report annually on Highways England’s performance and in line with the requirement in the Licence, I expect Highways England to publish their environmental strategy shortly.

Railways: Fares

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department's press release of 18 August 2015, entitled Earnings outstrip rail fare increases for the first time in a decade, what the statistical evidential basis is for the statement that increasing regulated rail fares by the retail price index between 2016 and 2020 will save season-ticket holders around £425 each.

Claire Perry: Data on all annual season ticket issues and the revenue associated with them was used to create an implied average annual season ticket fare. This was then uprated under both the RPI+0 policy, and the Department’s previous assumption about future policy (RPI+1), using the OBR’s assumptions of future RPI increases. The difference between the two was then summed to reach an average saving of £425 over the period.

Cycling

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2016 to Question 25993, whether his Department had a Cycling Health sub-group.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Department had a Cycle Stakeholder Forum, established from 2011 – 2014, which had some sub-groups including a group on cycle health, chaired by the Department of Health. The sub-group was disbanded when the Cycle Stakeholder Forum was dissolved.

Roads: Safety

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to performance indicators for helping cyclists, walkers and other vulnerable users of the network in the Highways England operational metrics manual, whether any additional resource funding has been allocated under the Road Investment Strategy to reduce vulnerable user casualties.

Andrew Jones: Highways England has committed to provide a safer, integrated and more accessible strategic road network for cyclists, walkers and other vulnerable road users. Through the first Road Investment Strategy for Highways England, a ring-fenced allocation of £175 million has been made available between 2015 and 2020 to improve the safety of the Strategic Road Network and improve conditions for cyclists and other vulnerable road users. The Highways England current delivery plan states that £78 million will be used to improve conditions for those cycling alongside and crossing the Strategic Road Network. The remaining £97 million will be used to enhance the safety of our network, with £20 million of this specifically targeted at improving facilities to provide a more accessible and integrated network.

Severn River Crossing

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he estimates the Severn River crossing concession will end.

Andrew Jones: The Severn River Crossing concession is currently forecast to end in 2018.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Route 39 Academy

Mr Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to announce a decision on the planning appeal submitted by the Route 39 free school in Torridge.

Mr Marcus Jones: This decision has now been announced. The announcement was made on Thursday 18 February.

Local Government Finance

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, under what criteria the 2016 to 2017 local government funding settlement was decided; and if he will publish the distributional effect of that settlement.

Mr Marcus Jones: The Local Government Finance Report (England) 2016/2017 sets out the basis of distribution for funding provided through the local government finance settlement. The Report was laid before the House of Commons on 8 February 2016. The results of that distribution have been published and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/final-local-government-finance-settlement-england-2016-to-2017.

Local Government Finance

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how the Transitional Grant available to certain local authorities was calculated and allocated.

Mr Marcus Jones: The local government finance settlement distributed revenue support grant by looking at the main resources that are available to local councils. The Local Government Finance Report (England) 2016/2017 sets out the basis of this distribution and the results can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/final-local-government-finance-settlement-england-2016-to-2017.My rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Greg Clark) has made clear that the Transitional Grant is for places that did not benefit from these changes in the formula. I refer the hon. Member to the debate on the Local Government Finance Report (England) on 10 February 2016, Official Report, Columns 1643-1645. The fund will be applied in direct proportion to the difference in the revenue support grant that would have been experienced and so it will ease the change from a system based on central Government grant to one in which local sources determine a council’s revenue.

Children in Care: Housing

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what measures are in place to provide housing support to care leavers; and what additional support his Department plans to provide after April 2017.

Mr Marcus Jones: Ensuring that young people leaving care have accommodation and support that is suitable for their needs is a priority for this Government. The homelessness legislation provides a strong safety net for vulnerable people. Care leavers aged 18-21 facing homelessness have a priority need for accommodation, as do vulnerable care leavers who are older than 21.We have funded youth homelessness agency St Basils to develop and support the roll-out of the Positive Pathway Framework. This supports local authority children’s services and housing teams and other local partners to work together to prevent homelessness and meet the housing and support needs of vulnerable young people, including care leavers. To build on this, we supported St Basils to develop a specific Care Leavers Accommodation and Support Framework, in partnership with Barnardo’s, in 2015.We have also invested £15 million in the Fair Chance Fund, a payment by results programme which aims to test new approaches to improving accommodation, employment and training outcomes for vulnerable homeless 18-25 year olds. Over 200 of the young people on the programme have previously been looked after.We will ensure that vulnerable young people who are in need of support for their housing needs continue to receive it.

Housing: Young People

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what additional housing support his Department plans to provide to people aged between 18 and 21 after changes to housing benefit planned for April 2017.

Mr Marcus Jones: Ensuring that young people have accommodation and support that is suitable for their needs is a priority for this Government and we will ensure that vulnerable young people who are in need of support for their housing needs continue to receive it. The Department for Work and Pensions are liaising with a range of stakeholders as they develop the detail of the policy on changes to housing support for 18-21 year olds.

Sleeping Rough: Greater Manchester

Liz McInnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what change there has been in the levels of rough sleeping in Greater Manchester since 2010.

Liz McInnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what change there has been in the level of rough sleeping in the UK since 2010.

Mr Marcus Jones: Rough sleeping statistics for individual local authorities and England are published in Table 1 of the Department’s Rough Sleeping in England publications for each year. These are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/homelessness-statistics

Anaerobic Digestion: Planning Permission

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if his Department will provide support for producers of anaerobic digestive installations in completing planning applications for those installations.

James Wharton: My Department has made clear, through planning guidance, that anaerobic digestion as a form of waste development needs to be planned for. It is for local authorities to decide on the most appropriate strategy for managing waste in their area in line with planning policy and guidance.

Northstar Ventures

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2016 to Question 26044, which three of the five funds Northstar Ventures manages are closed to new investments; and when the decision was taken that Northstar Ventures should exit from remaining deals.

James Wharton: The three Northstar Venture Funds that are closed to new investments are the Proof of Concept Fund, Co Investment Fund and North East Creative Content Fund.Each Fund was designed with an investment phase and closure/end date, specified in the fund management agreements signed at the outset.No decision has been made to exit Northstar Ventures from teh remaining deals.

Local Government Finance

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how the Transitional Grant in the local government spending review is funded.

Mr Marcus Jones: DCLG has reprioritised existing spending in addition to using unallocated and contingency budgets to fund the transitional grant.

Council Housing: Security of Tenure

Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether it is his policy that his Department's changes to security of tenure for council tenants will apply to (a) the tenancies of existing tenants and (b) existing tenants when they transfer to a new local authority property; and when he plans that those changes will come into effect.

Brandon Lewis: The changes will not apply to existing lifetime tenants who remain in their own home.If tenants are required to move home by their landlord, for example to allow demolition and regeneration work to take place, they will be granted a tenancy with no less security in their new home.Where existing lifetime tenants seek to transfer, local authorities will retain a discretion to offer the tenant a further lifetime tenancy in their new home. We will set out the circumstances in which local authorities may exercise this discretion in regulations. We expect these will include where tenants downsize into a smaller home or move for work.We expect that the provisions will come into force early next year, subject to passage of the Bill and implementation of the regulations.

Floods: Cumbria

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the deadline is for making an application to the EU Solidarity Fund in relation to the Cumbria floods.

James Wharton: Applications for the European Solidarity Fund must be received by the Commission within 12 weeks of the date of first damage caused by the disaster.

Housing Associations: Starter Home Initiative

Paul Scully: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with housing associations on flexibility on the mandatory 20 per cent discount for the section 106 starter homes.

Brandon Lewis: Ministers have had discussions with many different organisations regarding the Government’s commitment to build 200,000 Starter Homes to help young, first time buyers into home ownership. The 20 per cent discount on a starter home is a minimum discount and any increase will be negotiated locally. Legislation is currently being taken forward through the Housing and Planning Bill to bring these commitments into effect.

Energy: Cumbria

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what account his Department has taken of (a) new nuclear developments and (b) tidal lagoon projects in West Cumbria in devolving its Northern Powerhouse agenda.

James Wharton: Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership has identified nuclear and energy excellence as a key priority contributing significant growth opportunities for the Cumbria economy. Discussions with Cumbria about their Devolution deal proposals are progressing well. I am pleased they have strong ambitions to drive growth across the Cumbria area by improving the delivery of skills, infrastructure, environmental sustainability and business support.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Colombia: Politics and Government

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect on the advancement of democracy in Colombia of ongoing killings by paramilitaries there; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Hugo Swire: The Government of Colombia has made significant progress on peace process negotiations with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Both sides have committed to sign a final agreement by the end of March 2016. This agreement has significant potential to advance democracy for all Colombians.However, I am concerned about the continued influence of organised criminal gangs and resulting violence in Colombia, which challenges the implementation of the peace process. I am pleased to see that, on 1 February, President Santos launched a committee to tackle organised criminal groups.Our Embassy officials regularly discuss the challenges posed by armed criminal groups (so called ‘Bandas Criminales’ or BACRIM) in their meetings with the Colombian government. Our Ambassador to Colombia met with the Minister of Interior on 1 February when they discussed security challenges, including those posed by the BACRIM. In forthcoming meetings with the Minister of Defence and Minister of Post-Conflict, our Ambassador will seek to raise these issues again. The UK is also contributing £1m to the Organisation of American States’ Peace mission (also known as MAPP-OAS) which is monitoring demobilisation.A peaceful Colombia, where authorities effectively tackle organised crime and promote democratic practices nationwide, will bring about real change for all Colombians.

India: Sikhs

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he received a document on UK Sikhs from the Indian delegation during the Indian Prime Minister's recent visit to the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Hugo Swire: I did not receive a document on UK Sikhs from the Indian delegation during Prime Minister Modi’s visit.

Diplomatic Service: Business

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether there are any restrictions on the business activities that can be carried out by foreign diplomats based in the UK.

Mr Philip Hammond: Article 42 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic relations (VCDR) states that ‘a diplomatic agent shall not in the receiving State practise for personal profit any professional or commercial activity’. The UK expects foreign diplomats to abide by the Articles of the VCDR.

Somalia: Politics and Government

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the security situation in Somalia since the attack on AMISOM forces in January 2016.

Mr Philip Hammond: The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has made significant territorial gains in Somalia since 2007, regaining all major cities and much of the territory formerly controlled by Al-Shabaab. The overall improvement in the security situation has created the space for progress towards a permanent political settlement and the recently accepted model for the 2016 electoral process is an important step forward. Recent events however, are a reminder, that although it no longer poses an existential threat to Somalia, Al-Shabaab continues to pose a significant terrorist threat in Somalia and the region.2016 is a critical year for security and political progress in Somalia. It is therefore crucial that the Somali National Army (SNA) and AMISOM work together to renew offensive operations against Al-Shabaab and secure the electoral process. The upcoming High Level Partnership Forum in Istanbul and AMISOM Troop Contributing Country (TCC) Summit in Djibouti, are important opportunities to ensure sustained progress. As announced by the Prime Minister, my right hon. friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) at the UN General Assembly in September, the UK will bolster support to the SNA and AMISOM through a deployment of up to 70 UK troops to the UN Support Office in Somalia. The UK will also continue to provide SNA troop stipends and UK advisory teams.We therefore stand shoulder to shoulder with Kenya, as her longest-standing defence partner, and particularly at this difficult time following the losses at El Adde. We greatly value the contribution made by Kenya and the other TCCs to AMISOM. The Prime Minister has written to President Kenyatta to offer condolences and express appreciation for the sacrifices that Kenyan Defence Forces are making in Somalia.

Diplomatic Service: Crime

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Written Statement of 16 July 2015, HCWS128, on alleged serious and significant offences (diplomatic immunity): 2014, how many instances of alleged criminal conduct by foreign diplomats based in the UK have been brought to the attention of his Department by the police or other enforcement agencies in the last 12 months.

Mr Philip Hammond: In the last 12 months Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection of the Metropolitan Police has notified us of a total of 945 incidents where there was a link with a diplomatic mission or international organisation in the United Kingdom. These not only include instances of alleged criminal conduct by persons attached to diplomatic missions and international organisations in the UK (including their family members), but also offences allegedly committed against such persons and occasional non-criminal incidents involving such persons or their missions.This figure also includes occasions when diplomats or family members are required as witnesses. Statistics for only those instances of alleged criminal conduct by foreign diplomats based in the UK are not recorded centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Future Written Ministerial Statements on the failure of foreign missions to comply with UK law will however, contain details of serious and significant offences allegedly committed by people entitled to diplomatic immunity in the UK in 2015 and 2016.

Diplomatic Immunity

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2016 to Question 24113, on what occasions the Government has requested the sending state to waive the rights to diplomatic immunity of an individual diplomat in the UK in the last 12 months.

Mr Philip Hammond: We do not disclose the missions from which we have sought waivers of immunity. Doing so would be likely to prejudice relations between the United Kingdom and the States in question. Statistics for the total number of waivers of immunity sought for foreign diplomats in the UK in the last 12 months are not kept centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Statistics for waivers of immunity sought in cases of serious and significant offences allegedly committed by foreign diplomats in the last 12 months have yet to be compiled. Those allegedly committed in the calendar year 2015 will be available in the next annual Written Ministerial Statements on the failure of foreign missions to comply with UK law in 2015.

Marrakesh Declaration

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support the Marrakesh Declaration, signed on 27 January 2016.

Mr David Lidington: The Government welcomes the Marrakech Declaration, which issued from a gathering of Muslim scholars and intellectuals from over 120 countries in January 2016. In particular we welcome its call for cooperation among all religious groups to go beyond mutual tolerance and respect, and instead to provide full protection for the rights and liberties of all. We also welcome the call for Muslim scholars and intellectuals around the world to develop a jurisprudence which is inclusive of diverse groups; for governments to review educational curricula that instigate aggression and extremism and to support initiatives to fortify relations and understanding among the various religious groups in the Islamic World. We stand ready to help governments and civil society in Muslim majority countries in whatever way we can, and encourage them to put the words of the Declaration into action.

Nigeria: Boko Haram

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will discuss with his Nigerian counterpart international assistance that can be provided to that country to tackle Boko Haram during 2016.

James Duddridge: We regularly talk to our Nigerian counterparts, at the highest levels, about UK assistance to Nigeria to help them tackle Boko Haram. I raised this with the Nigerian Foreign Minister earlier this month at the African Union summit. This week the Minister of State, my noble Friend the right hon. Baroness Anelay of St John's returned from Nigeria where she met Nigerian ministers and reiterated the UK’s support to Nigeria in combating Boko Haram.We are providing a substantial and increasing package of intelligence, military and development support to Nigeria. This includes training and advice on counter-insurgency. Almost 1000 Nigerian military personnel have benefited from UK training to prepare them for counter-insurgency operations in North East Nigeria and up to 300 UK military personnel are expected to provide training to the Nigerian Armed Forces this year (2016). We have also provided £5m to support a regional taskforce against the group and are also providing £6.7m humanitarian assistance for Nigeria to support those affected by the Boko Haram conflict.

British Virgin Islands: Freedom of Information

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of freedom of information requirements in the British Virgin Islands; and what plans he has to promote transparency in that territory.

James Duddridge: Freedom of information policy in the Virgin Islands is the responsibility of the government of the Virgin Islands. As such, the Governor announced the Virgin Islands Government’s intention to introduce a Freedom of Information Bill and a Data Protection Bill in the Speech from the Throne of 10 November 2014.The Governor again underlined the importance of Open Government as the ‘foundation stone to a modern democracy’ at the swearing-in ceremony of the new Government on 10 June 2015. Discussion between the Governor and the elected Government continues on a range of Open Government and transparency initiatives.The 2012 White Paper states our commitments on working with the governments of the Overseas Territories on improving transparency and accountability. We are supporting these governments in moving towards systems of open government through sharing best practice and capacity building. This is a devolved area of competence and it is for Territory governments to develop a system that meets their particular requirements and circumstances.

Bermuda: Freedom of Information

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of freedom of information requirements in Bermuda; and what plans he has to promote transparency in that territory.

James Duddridge: Freedom of information policy in Bermuda is the responsibility of the Government of Bermuda. The Public Access to Information Act 2010 (PATI) came fully into operation on 1 April 2014. It is similar in many respects to the UK’s Freedom of Information Act and provides for an Information Commissioner. The Governor believes that it has started well but the first appeals under the Act’s provisions are only now coming before the Commissioner.Future developments in this area are a matter for the Government of Bermuda. I understand that legislation on data protection, the Personal Information Protection Act, is currently before the Bermuda House of Assembly, with provisions designed to meet EU data protection requirements and, again, similar to the UK Data Protection Act. The 2012 White Paper states our commitments on working with the governments of the Overseas Territories on improving transparency and accountability. We are supporting these governments in moving towards systems of open government through sharing best practice and capacity building. This is a devolved area of competence and it is for Territory governments to develop a system that meets their particular requirements and circumstances.

Darfur: Crime against Humanity

Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking with troika partners Norway and the US to try to bring an end to atrocities against civilians in the Darfur region of Sudan.

James Duddridge: The UK is deeply concerned about the impact of the conflict in Darfur on the civilian population and the recent escalation of violence in Jebel Mara. With our Troika partners, the US and Norway, we are continuing to support the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel’s efforts to bring an end to the violence in Darfur and secure a political settlement.The UK also actively supports the United Nations/African Union Peacekeeping Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). During the last mandate renewal we led efforts to ensure UNAMID remained in all five states of Darfur and also strengthened its mandate to better protect civilians.

Iraq: Yazidis

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to support action at the International Criminal Court in respect of UK nationals suspected of having committed war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide against members of the Yazidi community in Iraq.

Mr Philip Hammond: We support the International Criminal Court (ICC) in its efforts to end impunity for the most serious crimes of international concern by holding perpetrators to account. As Iraq is not a Party to the Rome Statute, the Court has no territorial jurisdiction over crimes committed on Iraqi soil.Foreign fighters who are nationals of ICC States could potentially be held accountable by the ICC. In April 2015 the ICC Prosecutor did however, decide that as Daesh was led primarily by nationals of Iraq and Syria, and the ICC’s mandate was to investigate those most responsible, the jurisdictional basis to open a preliminary examination was too narrow.As part of our strategy to defeat Daesh we are working to counter the flow of foreign fighters. It is now a criminal offence to be a member of Daesh in the UK. We are also working to combat radicalisation and are monitoring those who pose a significant security risk. We have introduced powers to seize passports to stop them travelling, to remove British nationality from dual nationals of concern, and to prevent temporarily some British nationals from re-entering the UKWe are also working to support the victims of Daesh’s brutality in Iraq. This includes funding projects to document crimes and support the victims of sexual violence.

Iraq: Genocide

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK plans to send forensic teams to Sinjar in Iraq to examine mass graves that have been discovered there.

Mr Philip Hammond: We are aware of reports that mass graves have been discovered in northern Iraq. The relevant authorities have not requested us to send forensic teams to investigate these reports, and we have no plans to do so.We condemn in the strongest terms the targeting and persecution of Yazidis, Christians and other communities by Daesh. We continue to urge the Government of Iraq to do all it can to ensure the security and rights of all communities in Iraq. We are working to build consensus around the importance of freedom of religion or belief, including by funding practical projects designed to enhance community dialogue between civil society and faith groups.

Islamic State: Yazidis

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government recognises the killing of the Yazidis by Daesh as genocide.

Mr Philip Hammond: I condemn the atrocities committed by Daesh against all civilians, including Christians, Mandeans, Yezidis and other minorities, as well as the majority Muslim population in Iraq and Syria who continue to bear the brunt of Daesh’s brutality.It is a long-standing policy of successive governments that any judgements on whether genocide has occurred are a matter for the international judicial system rather than governments or other non-judicial bodies.Ultimately, the best way of preventing future atrocities is to defeat Daesh and its violent ideology.

North Korea: Politics and Government

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking in cooperation with his international counterparts to pursue criminal responsibility of the leadership of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Mr Hugo Swire: We remain deeply concerned about the human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.The British Government supports the principle that there must be no impunity for those accused of human rights violations and that crimes against humanity are appropriately investigated.We will continue to work with members of the international community through multilateral fora, including the UN Security Council and the UN Human Rights Council, to ensure the regime is held to account for its appalling human rights record.

Arms Trade: Treaties

Dr Paul Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he supports the aims of the Arms Trade Treaty.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Yes. The UK was a prime-mover for the creation of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and continues to be an active advocate of a robust Treaty. The UK was amongst the first to sign the ATT in 2013 and ratified on 2 April 2014. We believe that the ATT will be stronger for every State which accedes to or ratifies it.Universalisation will remain a key priority. The UK played an important role in the preparatory discussions leading to the First Conference of States Parties, and was a Vice-President of that Conference, brokering agreement on key decisions to establish sustainable mechanisms for the future viability of the ATT.

Giulio Regeni

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2016 to Question 26339, what representations he is making to the Egyptian government on an independent inquiry being carried out into the death of Giulio Regeni.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We are aware of the tragic death of Mr Regini, an Italian national, following his disappearance on 25 January and pass our condolences to his friends and family at this difficult time. We support Italian and Egyptian efforts to investigate the circumstances of the tragic death of Mr Regeni, and are in contact with the Italian and Egyptian authorities.

Iran: Hezbollah and Hamas

Mrs Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the extent of funding from Iran for (a) Hezbollah and (b) Hamas; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We continue to have serious concerns about Iran’s support for Hamas and the military wing of Hezbollah, which reportedly includes the provision of financial resources and training as well as the supply of military equipment. We call on Iran to end such support, which directly undermines the prospects for lasting peace in the region, and to abide by all relevant UN obligations.

Middle East: Conflict Stability and Security Fund

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2016 to Question 25979, which 10 Israeli NGOs receive funding from the Conflict Stability and Security Fund; and which two NGOs receive funds through the Bilateral Programme Budgets.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We supply funding for projects delivered by the following 10 Israeli Non-Government Offices (NGOs) through the Conflict Stability and Security Fund: The Peres Centre for Peace; Injaz - Centre for Professional Arab Local Governance; Kids Creating Peace; Yesh Din; Gisha; Peace Now; Terrestrial Jerusalem; The International Peace and Cooperation Centre; Rabbis for Human Rights and the Jerusalem Community Advocacy Network.We also fund projects delivered by the following NGOs through the Bilateral Programme Budget: Burj Al Luqluq Youth Center and Silwan Youth Center.

North Korea: Human Rights

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the comment made on 22 January 2016 by the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Mr Hugo Swire: We work closely with international partners to exert pressure on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) regarding its human rights track record both through multilateral fora, including the UN Security Council and the UN Human Rights Council, as well as through our critical engagement with the regime both in Pyongyang and London.We are aware of the appalling human rights situation in the DPRK as described by the UN Special Rapporteur as well as set out in the UN Commission of Inquiry report. Our policy priorities continue to be the improvement of the human rights situation for the North Korean people and an end to the DPRK’s nuclear and ballistic missile programme.

North Korea: Human Rights

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for its policies of the recommendations of the UN Commission of Inquiry on human rights in North Korea, published in February 2014.

Mr Hugo Swire: The UK has strongly supported the work of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), and we remain deeply concerned about the human rights situation in the DPRK that the report outlined. We have urged DPRK authorities to respond in detail to the contents of the report and to address the human rights violations that it documents. We also maintain pressure on the DPRK on human rights through multilateral fora, including the UN Security Council and the UN Human Rights Council, and through our critical engagement with the regime both in Pyongyang and London.

Zimbabwe: Farmers

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will provide assistance to farmers in Zimbabwe who are forced from their land by the policies of the government of that country.

James Duddridge: I share My Right Honourable Friend’s concerns about the devastating impact of land seizures in Zimbabwe. The British Embassy in Harare frequently raises land security – and the importance of upholding the rule of law – with the Government of Zimbabwe. Most recently, they highlighted the British Government’s serious concerns that the seizure of the land of Zimbabwean farmer, Mr Philip Rankin, did not follow the provisions of the Zimbabwean constitution. The British Government has always said that it would support a fair, transparent and pro-poor land reform programme in Zimbabwe. This is vital if Zimbabwe is to realise its great economic and social potential.

UK Membership of EU

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the recital in paragraph one of section C of the revised version of the draft EU decision on a new settlement for the UK, what assessment he has made of whether the objectives of political integration enjoys wide support in the union.

Mr David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Northern Ireland Office

Welfare Reform and Work Bill

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the amendments to the Child Poverty Act 2010 in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill require a Legislative Consent Motion to be brought before the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions wrote to the Northern Ireland Executive in July 2015 on introduction of the life chances clauses in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill. As well as setting out the Government’s approach to child poverty and improving life chances, and inviting the Northern Ireland Executive to consider amendments they might wish to have introduced, he set out that he did not consider that legislative consent was required for any of the provisions as introduced.

Welfare Reform and Work Bill

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the amendments to the Child Poverty Act 2010 in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill are included in the welfare clauses referred to in the Northern Ireland (Welfare Reform) Order 2015.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: The Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015 does not include any reference to the Child Poverty Act 2010.

Miscarriages of Justice: Compensation

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will make an assessment of the effect of the application of section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 on the payment of compensation relating to cases in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will make an assessment of the effect of the application of section 175 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 on the payment of compensation relating to terrorism cases in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: Section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 requires the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland or, in relation to most criminal offences in Northern Ireland, the Department of Justice, to pay compensation where a person’s conviction for a criminal offence has been reversed or he has been pardoned on the grounds that a new or newly discovered fact shows beyond reasonable doubt that there has been a miscarriage of justice. The amount of compensation awarded in these cases is assessed by an independent assessor.Section 175 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 inserted subsection (1ZA) into section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, providing a statutory definition of “miscarriage of justice”. In accordance with this new provision, the Secretary of State will only pay compensation for a “miscarriage of justice” where the new or newly discovered fact (on the basis of which the conviction was reversed) shows beyond reasonable doubt that the person did not commit the offence of which they were convicted. In Northern Ireland this new definition applies in relation to applications for compensation in cases involving sensitive national security information, which applications are determined by the Secretary of State rather than the Northern Ireland Department of Justice.I believe that this clear definition enshrined in statute makes decisions on eligibility more transparent and less likely to be the subject of legal challenge and ensures (in those cases in Northern Ireland to which it applies) that compensation will only be paid where it is clear the person did not commit the offence of which they were convicted.

Terrorism: Northern Ireland

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will make representations to Rt Hon Tony Blair to request that he accede to requests from the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee to give oral evidence on compensation for victims of IRA violence.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: As I set out in my speech on 11 February, this Government condemns terrorism. We take very seriously the needs of victims of terrorism who, it is important to remember, suffered the most as a result of the Northern Ireland troubles. My Department has assisted the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee in its call for evidence on the issue of Libyan-sponsored IRA terrorism. The Government has every sympathy for the victims of these appalling atrocities. I would of course encourage anyone who can help the Committee with its work to do so.

Northern Ireland Office: Fringe Benefits

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many staff in her Department and non-departmental public bodies receive (a) home to work travel allowance, (b) a car allowance and (c) subsidised health insurance.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: No one working in my Department is in receipt of any of these allowances. My Department has two executive non-departmental public bodies – the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland; and one advisory non-departmental public body – the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland. As these bodies are independent of Government, the hon Member may wish to write to the Commissions directly on these matters – contact details are set out below: ALBStatusContact DetailsParades Commission for Northern IrelandExecutive NDPBinfo@paradescommission.orgNorthern Ireland Human Rights CommissionExecutive NDPBinformation@nihrc.orgBoundary Commission for Northern IrelandAdvisory NDPBcontact@boundarycommission.org.uk

Northern Ireland Office: Pay

Mr David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average hourly earnings of (a) female, (b) male, (c) full-time and (d) part-time employees of her Department were in each of the last five years.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: This information is not held and to provide it would incur a disproportionate cost.

Army

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent representations she has had on a public inquiry into events in Ballymurphy in August 1971; and if she will make a statement.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: In October 2012, I informed the families that I agreed with my predecessor’s decision not to hold a public inquiry into the events in Ballymurphy. I explained this position when I met the families in January 2013. I considered the families’ more recent request for an independent review panel carefully. On 29 April 2014, I advised the families of my decision against instigating an independent review panel. I do not believe the balance of public interest lies in establishing an inquiry or independent review into the deaths in Ballymurphy in August 1971. I do not believe that such a review would provide answers which are not already in the public domain or covered by existing legal processes such as the inquests. I continue to receive representations from members of the public, politicians and others seeking further investigation into the events in Ballymurphy and into various other events that occurred during the troubles.

Airports

Mr Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with (a) the Northern Ireland Executive and (b) airport operators in Northern Ireland and Great Britain on the Airports Commission: Final Report, published in July 2015.

Mr Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what representations she has received on the effect on Northern Ireland of proposals for new runway capacity in the London area.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: I have discussed the importance of air connectivity between Northern Ireland and London and the work of the Airports Commission with Ministers in the Government, the Northern Ireland Executive and airport operators.

Attorney General

Human Rights

Karl Turner: To ask the Attorney General, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on the promotion of human rights of the UK leaving the EU.

Karl Turner: To ask the Attorney General, whether he has made an assessment of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on the application and implementation of the European Arrest Warrant.

Jeremy Wright: At the February European Council the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government's view is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.

UK Membership of EU

Mr Douglas Carswell: To ask the Attorney General, what planning his Department has undertaken in the event of the UK voting to leave the EU.

Jeremy Wright: At the February European Council the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government's view is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.

Department for Education: Legal Costs

Ian Austin: To ask the Attorney General, if he will estimate the costs attributed to the Department for Education by the Government Legal Department in the 2014-15 financial year.

Ian Austin: To ask the Attorney General, if he will estimate the costs attributed to the Department for Education for cases relating to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 by the Government Legal Department in the 2014-15 financial year.

Robert Buckland: I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to question 24782 from the Hon. Member for Coventry South (Jim Cunningham) on the 4th February 2016.

Prosecutions

Mrs Louise Ellman: To ask the Attorney General, how many cases relating to each type of crime were prosecuted by the CPS in (a) magistrates' courts and (b) the Crown Court in each of the last 10 years; how many hours the CPS spent on prosecutions of each type in each type of court in those years; and if he will make a statement.

Robert Buckland: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) identifies the type of crime prosecuted with reference to twelve principal offence categories. The Principal Offence Category is assigned at the end of a prosecution case to indicate the most serious offence with which the defendant is charged at the time of finalisation. It is not possible to disaggregate the number of prosecutions for individual offences recorded in each category or the times involved on specific categories without incurring a disproportionate cost.The attached tables contain details of the number of completed prosecutions in magistrates’ courts and at the Crown Court, for each principal offence category, in each of the last ten years.



CPS prosecution tables
(Word Document, 37.72 KB)

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Productivity: Standards

Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what metrics of performance he used to measure the performance of the Government's Productivity Plan, entitled Fixing the foundations: Creating a more prosperous nation, published in 2015.

Joseph Johnson: Ultimately, delivering robust productivity growth is the key outcome of the Productivity Plan. Productivity, measured as output per hour worked, grew by 1.3% in the third quarter of 2015 compared to a year earlier. In the latest Inflation Report, the Bank of England increased both its 2016 and 2017 forecasts of productivity growth by 0.25 percentage points. In addition, many of the measures included in the Productivity Plan have their own individual delivery targets, such as the commitment to 3 million apprenticeships starts this Parliament. The select committee on Business, Innovation and Skills’ report into the Productivity Plan, published on the 1 February 2016, made a number of recommendations including on the use of measures of success. The Government will respond to the Committee at the end of March 2016.

Productivity: Standards

Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the performance against its aims of the Government's productivity plan, entitled Fixing the foundations: Creating a more prosperous nation, published in July 2015.

Joseph Johnson: Productivity growth is a key economic challenge for this Parliament. Productivity, measured as output per hour worked, grew by 1.3% in the third quarter of 2015 compared to a year earlier. We are now in the process of implementing the Productivity Plan, with Ministers and officials overseeing delivery through cross-Whitehall boards and Cabinet Committees. We are making good progress, specifically: The rate and scope of the Apprenticeships Levy has been confirmed, bringing us closer to a sustainable funding system to boost skills and put employers in the driving seat. The Cutting Red Tape Programme aims to cut at least £10 billion of unnecessary regulation. The Housing and Planning Bill, now awaiting its Committee stage in the House of Lords, was introduced to boost house building and accelerate planning decisions. New devolution deals have been signed with Sheffield, the North East, Tees Valley, Liverpool and West Midlands. Proposals have been made to increase the quality of teaching and student choice in higher education. The Productivity Leadership Group, chaired by Sir Charlie Mayfield, is progressing well and will report in the summer. We have continued to protect the science budget in real terms to the end of the Parliament, and are protecting in cash terms the funding through Innovate UK.

Employee Ownership: Productivity

Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of employee involvement in the workplace on productivity levels.

Nick Boles: The research report ‘Does Worker Wellbeing Affect Workplace Performance?’ was published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in October 2014 and can be found on GOV.UK. This examines the wide range of factors, including employee involvement, that can positively impact on worker wellbeing. The analysis carried out using the 2011 Workplace Employment Relations Study suggests that well-being is also positively associated with workplace financial performance, labour productivity and the quality of output or service.

Sunday Trading: Families

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how his Department has applied the family test to its proposals for draft legislation to devolve Sunday trading regulations; and what the outcome of the application of that test was.

Anna Soubry: The Government plans to publish the Impact Assessment, including results of the family test, shortly.

Sunday Trading

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the effects of its proposals to devolve Sunday trading regulations on the displacement of trade from small to large stores.

Anna Soubry: My Department has carried out an assessment of the impacts of devolving the power to extend Sunday trading hours and this will be published.

Sunday Trading

Martin Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the implications for his Department's proposals to devolve Sunday trading regulations are of the findings of the recent USDAW survey of shopworkers on levels of opposition to relaxation of current Sunday trading laws.

Anna Soubry: In formulating its final proposals, the Government has carefully considered all the evidence submitted during the consultation process.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: Flexible Working

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if his Department will publish flexible working arrangements by default in job adverts.

Joseph Johnson: Jobs in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills are already advertised as open to flexible working arrangements, unless in exceptional circumstances which must be approved by a Director General.

Manufacturing Industries: Apprentices

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many trailblazer apprenticeship starts there have been in the (a) automotive and (b) aerospace industries to date.

Nick Boles: Apprenticeship starts by standard name are published in a supplementary table to a Statistical First Release:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/493778/apprenticeships-starts-by-sase-framework.xls This table shows starts for apprenticeship frameworks and new apprenticeship standards.

Sunday Trading: Lone Parents

Derek Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the report by the Social Market Foundation on the effect of single parents of a relaxation of Sunday trading hours.

Anna Soubry: In formulating its final proposals, the Government has carefully considered all the evidence submitted during the consultation process.

Space Technology: Finance

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the total public expenditure on the UK space industry over the course of this Parliament.

Joseph Johnson: The allocation for the UK Space Agency for 2015/16 is £370.5 million with £302 million to be invested through the European Space Agency, £65 million to be invested on international programmes and £3.5 million on administration. In addition, £37 million was invested on space with the Met Office. Future allocations up to the end of the Parliament will be published in due course alongside the wider allocations of the science and research budget.

Post Office: Staff

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on benefit and tax credit demand from workers at franchises of former post offices; and what estimate his Department has made of the potential cost of that demand to the public purse.

George Freeman: Post Office Limited runs and manages its directly managed Crown post offices. Employees of these offices are employees of Post Office Limited. Changes to the Crown network are the operational responsibility of the Post Office, and HM Government has not undertaken any analysis of the changes to the benefit and tax credit demand from these changes.

Sunday Trading

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment the Regulatory Policy Committee has made of the devolution of Sunday trading rules.

Anna Soubry: The Government’s estimates of the economic impact will be independently scrutinised by the Regulatory Policy Committee and their assessment will be published in due course.

Post Offices: Southwark

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much the Post Office has spent refurbishing the premises of the Crown Post Office in Walworth Road since January 2010.

George Freeman: Post Office Limited runs and manages its directly managed Crown post offices. Arrangements for employees of these offices and changes to the Crown network are the operational responsibility of the Post Office. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

Sunday Trading

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether (a) his Department and (b) another department has commissioned independent research on the economic effects of extending Sunday trading hours.

Anna Soubry: In 2006 Indepen were commissioned by the Department for Trade and Industry to evaluate the economic costs and benefits of extending Sunday Trading hours, a copy of the report can be found on the GOV.UK website. Neither my Department nor another Department has commissioned independent research since then on the economic effects of extending Sunday trading hours, although, we are aware of recent independent research from the London School of Economics that found evidence of positive impacts in retail on employment and expenditure.

Business: Regulation

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what support the Government plans to provide to local authorities for implementation of the extension of primary authority under the Enterprise Bill.

Anna Soubry: The Government has engaged extensively with local authorities to ensure that Primary Authority is modelled around how local authorities engage with businesses. We will continue to work closely with local authorities, including providing free training and guidance materials to local authorities.

Arms Trade: Saudi Arabia

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his arms export policy to Saudi Arabia of the legal advice on that matter commissioned by Amnesty International and Saferworld, published in December 2015.

Anna Soubry: The policy framework for arms export licensing to all destinations, including Saudi Arabia, remains as set out in the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, known as the Consolidated Criteria. This requires all export licence applications to be carefully assessed on a case by case basis against the Consolidated Criteria, taking into account all relevant factors at the time of application, including reporting by non-Governmental organisations, the United Nations and others. A licence will not be issued, for any country, if to do so would be inconsistent with any provision of the Criteria.

Sunday Trading

Derek Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate his Department has made of the potential effect on levels of employment in convenience stores of proposals to devolve Sunday trading restrictions; and what the evidential basis for that estimate was.

Anna Soubry: My Department has carried out an assessment of the impacts of devolving the power to extend Sunday trading hours. This will be published shortly.

Sunday Trading

Derek Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect on the profit of convenience stores of proposals to devolve Sunday trading restrictions; and what the evidential basis for that estimate was.

Anna Soubry: My Department has carried out an assessment of the impacts of devolving the power to extend Sunday trading hours and this will be published shortly.

Sunday Trading

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to paragraph 2.9 of Devolving Sunday Trading Rules: government response, published in February 2016, from which organised campaigns the six petitions were received.

Anna Soubry: The six petitions referenced in that paragraph were locally organised petitions which we believe were arranged by individuals. These were in addition to the national campaigns organised by the Christian Institute, the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) and CitizenGo.

Productivity

Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on UK productivity of the planned introduction of research and development grants.

Joseph Johnson: Innovation is a key driver of productivity and the UK ranks among the best in the world in various indices. The Government is focussed on creating the best conditions for innovative businesses to flourish and will be protecting, in cash terms, total spending on business led innovation through Innovate UK. We are exploring the range of finance products, including loans, available in a number of other countries. We will also be conducting market research to engage with, and further understand the needs of, innovative businesses in the UK. The Government also intends to commence pilots to test specific finance products before progressing to full roll out.

Antidumping Duties: EU Action

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending trade defence instruments to add a further exemption to the lesser duty rules in cases of social and environmental dumping.

Anna Soubry: The Government supports the use of the lesser duty rule in trade defence cases, as it allows for protection against unfair trade while at the same time avoiding the imposition of disproportionate costs on the wider economy. We do not support changes that would lessen its effectiveness as a trade defence instrument.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: Sheffield

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will publish the cost-benefit analysis related to his Department's decision to close its Sheffield office.

Joseph Johnson: The Department intends to close the Sheffield office at St Paul’s Place by January 2018. This intention is based on the strategic vision for the Department by 2020 that seeks to save 30-40% of its operating costs, reduce the number of locations it operates from (from currently around 80 to 7 centres and a regional footprint for the provision of local services), and halves the number of its Partner Organisations. The location strategy is based on the need to simplify delivery and focus expertise in specific areas. This includes locating the policy function in one place, close to Ministers, in the HQ in London. This decision was based on on-going analysis and discussions, leading to the decision by the Executive Board.

Department for Business,  Innovation and Skills: Policy

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the benefits to his Department of conducting policy work outside of London.

Joseph Johnson: Since summer 2015 the Department has been reviewing its business model. By 2020, we want to simplify our structure, become more digital, be cheaper for taxpayers and better for users. As part of this we anticipate reducing the number of our locations from more than 80 to approximately 7 centres plus a regional footprint for the provision of local services. The intention to close the BIS Sheffield office at St Paul’s Place is based on a strategy to simplify delivery and focus expertise in specific areas. Consistent with this strategy the policy function will be in one place, close to Ministers, and the Department has made a decision to locate all its policy functions in the HQ in London. By 2020 the majority of employees in BIS and our Partner Organisations will continue to be based outside of London.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: Buildings

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he expects all final decisions on his Department's estate relating to the implementation of the BIS 2020 strategy to be concluded.

Joseph Johnson: The intention to close the BIS Sheffield office at St Paul’s Place is based on our strategy to simplify our delivery and focus expertise in specific areas over five years to 2020. Therefore, our policy function needs to be in one place, close to Ministers, and the Department made a decision to locate all our policy functions in the HQ in London. Other decisions around our estates will be taken in due course and will, of course, be subject to consultation. We therefore cannot give an estimate of when all decisions on the Department’s estate will be concluded.

Sunday Trading

Derek Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of the 2012 temporary liberalisation of Sunday trading regulations on its proposals for the devolution of such regulations to local authorities.

Anna Soubry: The ONS analysed the impact of the short term Olympic relaxation of the Sunday trading rules and found that it was not possible to make any inference from the data. They found no definite pattern amongst the growth rates of retail sales and noted that other factors, such as the weather and time of year, will have impacted sales. In formulating its final proposals, the Government has carefully considered all the evidence submitted during the consultation process.

Apprentices: Taxation

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the apprenticeship levy on the charity and voluntary sectors.

Nick Boles: A key part of the Government’s commitment of 3 million apprenticeships starts in England by 2020 is to ensure that quality apprenticeships are available at all levels and in all sectors. This will give people the widest opportunity to participate in high quality programmes to improve their skills and give employers, including charities and voluntary organisations, the skilled workforce they need to grow and improve productivity. The apprenticeships levy will only be paid by those with an annual pay bill of more than £3 million. This is 2% of all employers. We will continue to engage with charity and voluntary sectors in the development and implementation of the apprenticeship levy.

UK Commission for Employment and Skills: Staff

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of transferring staff from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills to the Institute for Apprentices to allow continuity of collected labour market information when government funding for that commission ceases in 2016-17.

Nick Boles: The Institute for Apprenticeships (IfA) will have a very small research role, focused around its tight set of core functions. It will not continue the UKCES function of carrying out research into the wider labour market. BIS has consulted the Devolved Administrations and other users of labour market information on future research priorities. These discussions have identified the significance of the Employer Skills Survey, the Employer Perspectives Survey and the LMI (Labour Market Information) for All Portal. We are considering how these can best be delivered in future and will announce future arrangements as soon as final decisions are made.

Institute for Apprenticeships

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will put mechanisms in place to ensure that the Institute for Apprentices responds to labour market information when setting funding cap levels for apprenticeships.

Nick Boles: The Institute for Apprenticeships (IFA) will have a role in advising Government on which funding cap each apprenticeship standard should be allocated to. The IFA will take into account the cost of apprenticeship training and assessment as well as the demand for different skills across the economy.

Sunday Trading

Mr David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2015 to Question 12101, for what reasons the Family Test assessment on Sunday trading has not yet been published; when he expects that assessment to be published; and if he will ensure that that assessment is published before consideration of new clauses in the Enterprise Bill [Lords].

Anna Soubry: Since the answer of 20 October 2015, the Government has been carefully considering the issues raised in the consultation, and plans to publish the Impact Assessment, including results of the family test, shortly.

Apprentices: Taxation

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the apprenticeship levy on universities.

Nick Boles: A key part of the Government’s commitment of 3 million apprenticeships starts in England by 2020 is to ensure that quality apprenticeships are available at all levels and in all sectors. This will give people the widest opportunity to participate in high quality programmes to improve their skills and give employers, including universities, the skilled workforce they need to grow and improve productivity. We are encouraging employers to take the lead in developing more apprenticeship standards at degree level. This will create a business opportunity for universities, many of which are already working with employers to design apprenticeships.

UK Commission for Employment and Skills: Finance

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, for what reasons he has decided to withdraw funding from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Boles: The UK Commission for Employment and Skills’ (UKCES) work over the last parliament has helped in setting the skills agenda for the future; and their activities have created the conditions to move to the next phase of more devolution, greater employer ownership and the apprenticeship levy. We have, however, concluded that we need new structures to move onto that next phase and have announced the establishment in England of a new Institute for Apprenticeships. In light of this, a decision was taken as part of the spending review by Whitehall Departments to withdraw funding from UKCES during 2016-17 in the context of the need to make savings in non-participation budgets to allow the core adult skills participation budgets to be protected in cash terms.

UK Commission for Employment and Skill: Finance

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether he consulted the board of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills prior to his decision to withdraw its funding.

Nick Boles: The Commissioners of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) were not consulted during the spending review process prior to the decision taken by Whitehall Departments to withdraw funding. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has subsequently been working closely with the UKCES’s Strategic Management Group of Commissioners to manage the implications of the decision.

UK Commission for Employment and Skill: Finance

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what representations he has received form the governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on his decision to withdraw funding from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.

Nick Boles: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has been in regular contact with the Devolved Administrations both at Ministerial and official level since the spending review decision by Whitehall Departments to withdraw funding from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES). A meeting of senior officials took place on 20th January and Ministers met on 4th February. These meetings discussed common issues within the UK’s devolved skills systems, including the implications of the decision on UKCES funding. At working level, officials in all Governments involved the work of UKCES are meeting regularly to discuss and agree the necessary transition arrangements that will be required as a result of the withdrawal of funding.

UK Commission for Employment and Skill: Finance

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he plans to take to collect data on trends in the UK labour market after funding is withdrawn from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.

Nick Boles: I refer the hon Member to the reply to question UIN 25901.

Department for International Development

Department for International Development: Secondment

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many civil servants were loaned or seconded from the (a) Department for International Development to the Ministry of Defence, (b) Ministry of Defence to the Department for International Development, (c) Department for International Development to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, (d) Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the Department for International Development, (e) Department for International Development to the Department of Energy and Climate Change, (f) Department of Energy and Climate Change to the Department for International Development, (g) Cabinet Office to the Department for International Development and (h) Department for International Development to the Cabinet Office in each of the last six years.

Mr Nick Hurd: The data below shows the numbers of civil servants on loan or secondment during each of the periods indicated. Civil servants may have been on loan or secondment for part or all of the periods indicated. Some civil servants may have been on secondment/loan for more than one year. DFID HR system does not hold historical loan/secondment data, this information has therefore been manually collated. DFID to MoD  1/1/2011-31/12/2011 01/1/2012-31/12/2012 01/1/2013-31/12/2013 01/1/2014-31/12/2014 11/1/2015-31/12/2015 01/1/2016-31/12/2016 1 MoD to DFID 1/1/2011-31/12/2011 01/1/2012-31/12/2012 01/1/2013-31/12/2013 11/1/2014-31/12/2014 11/1/2015-31/12/2015 21/1/2016-31/12/2016 2 DFID to FCO 1/1/2011-31/12/2011 91/1/2012-31/12/2012 141/1/2013-31/12/2013 161/1/2014-31/12/2014 321/1/2015-31/12/2015 521/1/2016-31/12/2016 44 FCO to DFID 1/1/2011-31/12/2011 01/1/2012-31/12/2012 31/1/2013-31/12/2013 111/1/2014-31/12/2014 171/1/2015-31/12/2015 191/1/2016-31/12/2016 12 DFID to DECC 1/1/2011-31/12/2011 01/1/2012-31/12/2012 01/1/2013-31/12/2013 01/1/2014-31/12/2014 01/1/2015-31/12/2015 01/1/2016-31/12/2016 0 DECC to DFID 1/1/2011-31/12/2011 01/1/2012-31/12/2012 21/1/2013-31/12/2013 31/1/2014-31/12/2014 51/1/2015-31/12/2015 81/1/2016-31/12/2016 3 CABINET OFFICE TO DFID 1/1/2011-31/12/2011 01/1/2012-31/12/2012 11/1/2013-31/12/2013 11/1/2014-31/12/2014 21/1/2015-31/12/2015 31/1/2016-31/12/2016 3 DFID TO CABINET OFFICE 1/1/2011-31/12/2011 11/1/2012-31/12/2012 21/1/2013-31/12/2013 31/1/2014-31/12/2014 31/1/2015-31/12/2015 31/1/2016-31/12/2016 2

Syria: Humanitarian Aid

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether the Government has made plans to provide humanitarian relief in the event that the Syrian government blockade Aleppo.

Mr Desmond Swayne: At the “Supporting Syria and the Region London 2016” Conference we co-hosted on 4th February 2016, leaders came together to pledge more than $11 billion, the largest amount raised in one day for a humanitarian crisis. Commitments made at the Conference will help to create 1.1 million jobs and provide education to an additional 1 million children. This money will save lives, give hope and give people a chance for the future. The Conference also brought leaders together to praise the bravery of all those working inside Syria to protect innocent civilians, demand an end to these abuses and obstruction of humanitarian aid. The outcomes of the conference are reflected in the Co-hosts' statement available on the Conference website www.supportingsyria2016.com. We are deeply concerned by the humanitarian impact of the ongoing Syrian regime offensive on Aleppo, which is backed by Russian airstrikes; including the high level of displacement it is causing. DFID continues to use existing funding to support our partners to be flexible in their responses and to enable the realignment of programming to meet those newly displaced and most in need. We are working with our partners in Aleppo and Idlib governorates to increase their existing food distribution and primary health assistance to support the newly displaced. We also support the UN OCHA managed, Humanitarian Pooled Fund (HPF), which has announced a US$10.5 million emergency fund to meet the needs of the new displaced as a result of the fighting in northern Aleppo. The HPF funding will focus on meeting key health, WASH, food, shelter and protection needs.

Overseas Aid

Wendy Morton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with which other Government departments her officials have held discussions on their role in the delivery and monitoring of spending under the Government's aid strategy; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Nick Hurd: The UK Aid Strategy, Tackling Global Challenges in the National Interest, notes that the government will sharpen oversight and monitoring of all Official Development Assistance (ODA) spend. This will apply to all government ODA spend including through cross-government funds. HM Treasury and DFID will co-chair a working group, reporting to ministers, in order to ensure value for money. DFID officials are working with HM Treasury to agree the remit of this working group. All government departments and funds spending ODA will be invited to attend the group. The group will meet for the first time in spring 2016. In addition, DFID reports UK ODA to the OECD and is responsible for reporting to Parliament on whether the 0.7 per cent GNI/ODA target is met. As part of this, DFID engages with all ODA-spending departments to: collate and quality assure UK ODA spend data for the previous calendar year for reporting to the OECD; monitor ODA spend within each current calendar year to meet the 0.7 per cent GNI/ODA target; and make arrangements for the independent evaluation of the extent to which all ODA provided by the UK represents value for money.

Developing Countries: Climate Change

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how her Department is working with the Department for Energy and Climate Change to ensure that official development assistance funding provided for international climate projects is prioritised in policies aimed at reducing poverty.

Mr Nick Hurd: The UK’s International Climate Fund is jointly managed by DFID, DECC and Defra and has already directly supported 15 million people to cope with effects of climate change and given 2.6 million people improved access to clean energy.The new UK Aid Strategy brings together the Government’s poverty reduction objectives with a commitment to tackle some of today’s biggest global challenges, including climate change. Tackling climate change and promoting sustainable development are two sides of the same coin – we cannot achieve one without the other.

Department for International Development: Fringe Benefits

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many staff in her Department and its non-departmental public bodies receive (a) home to work travel allowance, (b) a car allowance and (c) subsidised health insurance.

Mr Nick Hurd: DFID, and related non-departmental public bodies, do not offer home to work travel allowance, car allowance or subsidised health insurance to staff

Iraq: Yazidis

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the living conditions of the Yazidi community in refugee camps in Iraq.

Mr Desmond Swayne: To date, the UK has committed £79.5 million to the humanitarian crisis in Iraq. UK aid is reaching hundreds of thousands of people across Iraq, including the most vulnerable groups, such as Yezidis. All UK-funded aid is distributed on the basis of needs and in line with humanitarian principles which ensure that no-one is discriminated against on the grounds of race, religion or ethnicity . According to the International Organisation for Migration, the vast majority of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Iraq live in host communities, with around 10% of all Iraqi IDPs living in camps. On a field visit to Dohuk in January 2016, DFID officials met with a number of displaced Iraqis, including Yezidis, and discussed their shelter needs and living conditions. This included members of the Yezidi community who were living in poor conditions in informal settlements. The DFID team were told that the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) had undertaken to relocate these individuals to a camp with appropriate services and conditions. However, this offer had been declined by Yezidi heads of households because of a perception that the camps were too far from employment opportunities although it appeared that other members of the community held differing views about the suitability of the camps.

Iraq: Reconstruction

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance the UK is providing for reconstruction of Sinjar in Iraq.

Mr Desmond Swayne: Through the cross-Departmental Conflict Stability and Security Fund (CSSF), the UK has allocated £10 million in Iraq for 2015/16 to fund security and stabilisation work.£2.5 million of this support has been pledged to the UN Development Programme’s (UNDP) Funding Facility for Immediate Stabilisation (FFIS). The FFIS is the principle mechanism for international support to stabilisation in Iraq and works to priorities set by the Iraqi authorities.Assessments in Sinjar by the UNDP and other partners are proceeding. It is expected that FFIS-supported stabilisation activities will start in the near future.

Developing Countries: Taxation

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department has made an assessment of the effects on the tax revenue of developing countries of tax treaties with the UK.

Mr Nick Hurd: HMRC actively engages with developing countries and has recently agreed treaties with Senegal and Zambia. Tax treaties encourage the appropriate tax treatment of cross-border economic activity, promote international trade and investment and ultimately lead to sustainable tax revenues.

Developing Countries: Taxation

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department provides to developing countries to improve their tax revenue gathering capabilities.

Mr Nick Hurd: The UK is one of the leading donors on tax and development and we have committed to double our support on tax by 2020 as part of the Addis Tax Initiative. DFID is currently engaged in, or developing, tax reform in 26 of our 28 priority countries. This includes support from the Tax Capacity Building Unit in HMRC we established in 2013 and from international organisations such as OECD, the Global Forum and the World Bank which DFID funds to provide technical assistance to tackle tax evasion and multinational tax avoidance.

Israel: Palestinians

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2016 to Question 26100, what proportion of her Department's financial assistance for Palestinian development funds other projects which foster coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians.

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2016 to Question 26100, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of the £349 million spent in support of Palestinian development from 2011 to 2015 which has gone to support projects which promote coexistence.

Mr Desmond Swayne: The DFID Palestinian Programme supports the HMG objective of protecting the viability of a two state solution. DFID’s work in the Occupied Palestinian Territories tends to consist of large-scale and strategic programmes that fit within our three priority areas; state building, economic development and alleviating poverty and vulnerability. Through the cross-government Conflict Stability and Security Fund (CSSF), the UK continues to support several projects which promote coexistence. These projects include support for the Peres Centre for Peace Training Doctors Programme which brings Israelis and Palestinians together through medical care and training to combat stereotypes and build trust. Additionally we work on projects with youth groups and through sport to encourage engagement between Israelis and Palestinians.

Israel: 
Palestinians

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2016 to Question 25684, what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on the (a) destruction of structures confirmed to have been funded by the EU and (b) possibility of seeking costs related to that damage from Israeli authorities.

Mr Desmond Swayne: We are awaiting confirmation from OCHA and the EU on the details of the structures demolished in South Hebron. We have raised our concerns with the Israeli government over the demolition of these structures in South Hebron. Demolitions of Palestinian homes and buildings cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians, and are harmful to the peace process. The UK continues to raise with Israeli authorities our serious concern at the increase in demolitions of Palestinian properties and structures in Area C of the West Bank and in East Jerusalem.

Bangladesh: Working Conditions

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of the Accord on Fire and Building Safety on working conditions and safety standards in Bangladesh.

Mr Desmond Swayne: The Accord has played an important role in pushing up working conditions and safety standards in the Garments sector in Bangladesh. Since 2013 the Accord has independently inspected 1, 390 factories in the supply chains of their signatory brands. It has then supported those factories that continue to sell to Accord brands to implement Corrective Action Plans, resulting in safer factories for 2.4 million workers. A review of the Bangladesh Sustainability Compact, completed by the EU, US and ILO in January 2016, recognised the contribution of private sector initiatives such as the Accord in improving labour, health and safety conditions for Bangladeshi workers.

Department for Education

Teachers: Unemployment

Danny Kinahan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to encourage unemployed teachers to seek work in England.

Nick Gibb: Qualified teachers not currently in the workforce, including those who are unemployed, are an important supply of teachers for schools. The number of those returning to teaching has been increasing in recent years, from 11,710 in 2011 to 14,100 in 2014 (School Workforce Census, 2014[1]). The Government is keen to support schools to attract teachers back to the profession and to provide support to refresh their skills where required.The National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) is undertaking a new pilot, the Return to Teaching Programme. 61 school partnerships have been successful in applying for funding to support potential returners. Qualified teachers outside the profession who plan to teach a secondary English Baccalaureate (EBacc) subject can access free tailored support provided by these schools. Support could include subject knowledge training, training to update knowledge of classroom practice and assessment frameworks as well as access to classroom experience and mentor support. In addition, teachers returning to mathematics or physics also have access to one-to-one advisors.[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/440582/Additional_Tables_SFR21_2015.xlsx

Schools: Ferndown

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will direct Ofsted to undertake re-inspections of (a) Parley First School and (b) Ferndown Upper School within two years of their last inspections.

Nick Gibb: The scheduling of school inspections is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector. Ofsted’s general policy is to inspect ‘requires improvement’ and ‘inadequate’ schools after approximately two years.

Schools: Uniforms

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her policy is on schools asking uniform suppliers for discounts or commission on school uniform sales; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: The department has issued best practice guidance for all schools on the need to give high priority to the consideration of cost for parents. The guidance sets out that governing bodies should be able to demonstrate that they have obtained the best value for money from suppliers, and that any savings negotiated with suppliers should be passed on to parents wherever possible. It also makes clear that schools should not enter into cash back arrangements.We have recently announced that we intend to put school uniform guidance on a statutory footing. The school uniform guidance is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform

GCSE: Warrington

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of pupils (a) in Warrington and (b) at schools in Warrington North constituency achieved GCSE grades A to C in (i) mathematics, (ii) a modern foreign language and (iii) physics in each year since 2010.

Nick Gibb: For 2010/11[1] to 2014/15[2] [3] [4] [5], the proportion of pupils achieving GCSE[6] grades A* to C entered for mathematics, a modern foreign language and physics at local authority level can be deduced from school level subject data published in the Department’s school performance tables. Information for 2009/10 is not available in the format required. Parliamentary constituency level information is not available.[1] http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/2011/download_data.html[2] http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/2012/download_data.html[3] http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/2013/download_data.html[4] http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/2014/download_data.html[5] http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/download_data.html[6] Full course GCSEs only

Faith Schools: Admissions

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations she has received from civil society organisations on the admissions criteria of faith schools; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: It is the role of the Schools Adjudicator, not the Secretary of State, to consider concerns about school admission arrangements. Where a person or body has concerns that a school’s admission arrangements do not comply with the School Admissions Code, they may refer an objection to the Adjudicator. The Adjudicator must consider whether the arrangements comply with the Code and the law relating to admissions.It has been possible for groups such as civil society organisations to refer objections since 2012. Since then, the Adjudicator has received objections from a range of groups or organisations about the admission arrangements of faith schools.

Physical Education: Teachers

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many qualified PE teachers entered the teaching profession in each year since 2010.

Nick Gibb: In the academic year 2013 to 2014 (the latest available), there were 1,443 initial teacher trainees on physical education courses in their final year. Further information is detailed in the table below.Physical education ITT trainees in their final year:Academic yearTotalAwarded QTS2010/111,5571,4872011/121,3851,3212012/131,3661,2432013/141,4431,368(Excludes Teach first)

Teachers: Training

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department's policies on training teachers of the findings of the National Audit Office report, Training new teachers, published in February 2016.

Nick Gibb: We are considering the findings of the National Audit Office report on training new teachers. The Permanent Secretary and Sinead O’Sullivan, Director of Programme Delivery in the National College for Teaching and Leadership, will be appearing as witnesses before a Public Accounts Committee hearing on the report on Monday 7 March 2016. This will be an opportunity to discuss the content of the report.

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners' Release

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many offenders were given a fixed term recall for (a) breaching the terms of their licence, (b) committing a further offence, (c) a combination of breaching their licence and reoffending and (d) any other reason in the latest year for which information is available.

Andrew Selous: Any offender who is believed to have committed further offences whilst on licence is liable to be arrested and charged and, if convicted, given a further sentence. If the offence is serious, they can be remanded into custody until trial. Offenders on licence who are charged with further offences are also liable to be recalled, potentially to serve the rest of their sentence in prison, as they will be in breach of the requirement of their licence to be of good behaviour. If the offender is assessed as not presenting a risk of harm to the public they can be assessed as suitable for a shorter, fixed term recall. Those who have been charged with serious sexual or violent offences will not be considered suitable for a fixed term recall. In 2014, 7,486 determinate sentence offenders were given a fixed term recall for breaching one or more of their licence conditions. Of these, 3,166 had been charged with a further offence. We do not hold centrally data on the total number of these offenders who were subsequently convicted of these further offences.

Prisoner Escapes

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners escaped from prison vans in each year since 2010; how many such prisoners remain on the run; of what offences each such prisoner was convicted; and what length of custodial sentence each such prisoner was given.

Andrew Selous: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 26 January 2016.The correct answer should have been:

We are committed to consulting fully on our proposals prior to the introduction of any legislation and will announce further details in due course. We will adhere to any guidance published by the Cabinet Office in respect of the pre-election periods. We have and will continue to seek to work with the devolved administrations to deliver a modernised and reformed human rights framework for all of the United Kingdom. NOMS has implemented a range of measures in recent years to improve the security surrounding prisoners on escort. Between 2010-11 and 2014-15, 23 prisoners escaped from vehicles operated by NOMS or by contractors. All were re-captured. Overall, the number of escapes from prison escorts almost halved from 102 between 2005-06 and 2009-10, to 59 between 2010-11 and 2014-15.The tables below provide the details requested for each escape and for each year and provide details on the overall number of escapes from escorts outside of a prison over the last 10 years.   2010-112011-122012-132013-142014-15   Number of escapes19274(1) Of the 23 vehicle related escapes between April 2010 and March 2015, none remain unlawfully at large(2) Vehicles primarily refer to prison vans used for escorting prisoner but do include other vehicle types. A distinction cannot be made in the data between vehicle types. (3) Includes all such escapes regardless of duration.  Table 2: Escapes from escorts while entering or leaving vehicles or en route to or from venue by sentence length and main offence, 2010/11 to 2014/15   Financial yearSentence length1Main offence2010/11RemandOther criminal offence2011/12Extended Sentence for the Public Protection - 4yWounding with intent2011/12Indeterminate Sentence for the Public ProtectionRobbery2011/12Indeterminate Sentence for the Public ProtectionRobbery2011/12LifePossessing firearm with intent to endanger life2011/124mTheft2011/124yBurglary2011/12RemandUsing disorderly behaviour, or threatening abusive or insulting words likely to cause harassment alarm or distress2011/1222yBeing concerned in offer to supply controlled drug - Class A - Cocaine2011/12Indeterminate Sentence for the Public ProtectionWounding with intent2012/13RemandBurglary2012/134yBurglary2013/14RemandConspiracy to Rob2013/14RemandConspiracy to Rob2013/142yABH2013/14RemandAggravated burglary2013/144yBlackmail2013/14RemandRobbery2013/143yBurglary2014/15RemandRobbery2014/156mTheft2014/15RemandRobbery2014/15RemandBurglary   Information is given on the main offence and the sentence attached to that specific offence. In some cases there are other offences which may have a consecutive or concurrent sentence length. Table 3 provides information about escapes which have taken place from prison escort and private escort contractors from 2005/06 to 2014/15. The table includes escapes from courts but not those escapes of less than 15 minutes’ duration and covers the full duration of the escort process. Table 3: KPI Escapes1 from Prison Escort2 and from Private Escort Contractors (PECS)3 from 2005/06 to 2014/152005 /062006 /072007 /082008 /092009 /102010 /112011 /122012 /132013 /142014 /15KPI Prison Escorts Escapes8624312021KPI Contracted Out Escort (PECS) Escapes171916151210139912KPI Category A Escapes during Escort------1---   1) The definition of a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Escape if (i) the prisoner is at liberty for 15 minutes or more before recapture or (ii) a prisoner escapes and is charged with another criminal offence2) Escaping the control of escorting prison service staff.3) Escapes from the secure vehicles or supervision of contracted prison escorts. This includes escapes from court where contracted prison escort staff have been notified

Dominic Raab: We are committed to consulting fully on our proposals prior to the introduction of any legislation and will announce further details in due course. We will adhere to any guidance published by the Cabinet Office in respect of the pre-election periods. We have and will continue to seek to work with the devolved administrations to deliver a modernised and reformed human rights framework for all of the United Kingdom. NOMS has implemented a range of measures in recent years to improve the security surrounding prisoners on escort. Between 2010-11 and 2014-15, 23 prisoners escaped from vehicles operated by NOMS or by contractors. All were re-captured. Overall, the number of escapes from prison escorts almost halved from 102 between 2005-06 and 2009-10, to 59 between 2010-11 and 2014-15.The tables below provide the details requested for each escape and for each year and provide details on the overall number of escapes from escorts outside of a prison over the last 10 years.   2010-112011-122012-132013-142014-15   Number of escapes19274(1) Of the 23 vehicle related escapes between April 2010 and March 2015, none remain unlawfully at large(2) Vehicles primarily refer to prison vans used for escorting prisoner but do include other vehicle types. A distinction cannot be made in the data between vehicle types. (3) Includes all such escapes regardless of duration.  Table 2: Escapes from escorts while entering or leaving vehicles or en route to or from venue by sentence length and main offence, 2010/11 to 2014/15   Financial yearSentence length1Main offence2010/11RemandOther criminal offence2011/12Extended Sentence for the Public Protection - 4yWounding with intent2011/12Indeterminate Sentence for the Public ProtectionRobbery2011/12Indeterminate Sentence for the Public ProtectionRobbery2011/12LifePossessing firearm with intent to endanger life2011/124mTheft2011/124yBurglary2011/12RemandUsing disorderly behaviour, or threatening abusive or insulting words likely to cause harassment alarm or distress2011/1222yBeing concerned in offer to supply controlled drug - Class A - Cocaine2011/12Indeterminate Sentence for the Public ProtectionWounding with intent2012/13RemandBurglary2012/134yBurglary2013/14RemandConspiracy to Rob2013/14RemandConspiracy to Rob2013/142yABH2013/14RemandAggravated burglary2013/144yBlackmail2013/14RemandRobbery2013/143yBurglary2014/15RemandRobbery2014/156mTheft2014/15RemandRobbery2014/15RemandBurglary   Information is given on the main offence and the sentence attached to that specific offence. In some cases there are other offences which may have a consecutive or concurrent sentence length. Table 3 provides information about escapes which have taken place from prison escort and private escort contractors from 2005/06 to 2014/15. The table includes escapes from courts but not those escapes of less than 15 minutes’ duration and covers the full duration of the escort process. Table 3: KPI Escapes1 from Prison Escort2 and from Private Escort Contractors (PECS)3 from 2005/06 to 2014/152005 /062006 /072007 /082008 /092009 /102010 /112011 /122012 /132013 /142014 /15KPI Prison Escorts Escapes8624312021KPI Contracted Out Escort (PECS) Escapes171916151210139912KPI Category A Escapes during Escort------1---   1) The definition of a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Escape if (i) the prisoner is at liberty for 15 minutes or more before recapture or (ii) a prisoner escapes and is charged with another criminal offence2) Escaping the control of escorting prison service staff.3) Escapes from the secure vehicles or supervision of contracted prison escorts. This includes escapes from court where contracted prison escort staff have been notified

Reoffenders

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the re-offending rate was for (a) men and (b) women who left prison in each year since 2010.

Andrew Selous: We want to cut reoffending, cut crime and make our streets safer. That is why we need a new emphasis in prisons on rehabilitation and redemption. Prisons should be places of hard work, rigorous education and high ambition so offenders get the skills to make a success of life on the outside. Data on the reoffending rates for men and women leaving prison in England and Wales up to 2012 can be found in the publication Women in the Criminal Justice System Chapter 8, table 8.10. Data for 2013 will be included when this publication will be updated in due course. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/women-and-the-criminal-justice-system-2013  Overall reoffending rates (for men and women) and overall reoffending rates for those leaving prison can be found in the latest quarterly data publication. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/380099/offender-management-8.xls  In the quarterly proven re-offending statistics, a proven re-offence is defined as any offence committed in a one year follow-up period that leads to a court conviction, caution, reprimand or warning in the one year follow-up or within a further six month waiting period to allow the offence to be proven in court.

Courts: Closures

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many complaints his Department received about the standard of its recent consultation document on court closures.

Mr Shailesh Vara: There has been one complaint about the standard of the recent consultation on the provision of court and tribunal estate in England and Wales.The complaint, received by email, was from a member of the judiciary and related to St Alban’s County Court. It noted that the consultation document was inaccurate as it stated that no enabling work was required at the receiving court, Watford County Court. On investigation, it was determined that some enabling work would be required. The written response to the complaint corrected this inaccuracy. The published consultation response document was updated to present corrected information.During the consultation process we were notified about inaccuracies in the consultation documents. These have all been corrected in the published response documents. All decisions were based on correct information together with the careful consideration of the consultation responses.The consultation response is available online at www.gov.uk/moj.

Prisons: Discipline

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many incidents at height have taken place in each prison in each month since March 2014.

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many hostage situations have arisen in each prison and youth facility in each month since March 2014.

Andrew Selous: The vast majority of incidents are minor in nature and resolved quickly and professionally without injury, damage or disruption to the running of the prison. Each incident is investigated fully to ensure lessons are learnt and best practice in managing incidents is shared across NOMS. Many incidents at height are relatively short in duration, lasting less than 15 minutes, and take place on netting or over railings. Hostage incidents are relatively rare and in many cases of hostage taking collusion between the perpetrator and victim is suspected. We do not tolerate violence or disorder in our prisons. Prisoners who take part in violent incidents can be referred to the police for prosecution or receive additional time on their sentences following internal adjudication. The tables attached provide numbers of incidents at height and hostage incidents in each month between March 2014 and December 2015 and broken down by establishment. Note: These figures have been drawn from the NOMS Incident Reporting System. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. Although the figures are shown to the last case the figures may not be accurate to that level.



incidents at height and hostage incidents - prison
(Excel SpreadSheet, 72.5 KB)

Prisons: Rodents

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners complained about an attack by rats in the last five years.

Andrew Selous: This information is not held centrally.

Prisons: Seized Articles

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many miscellaneous items as recorded by the Incident Report System were confiscated in each prison in the last 12 months.

Andrew Selous: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Prisons: Drugs

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2016 to Question 25491, how many prisoners returned to jail having broken their licence conditions were subsequently found to be carrying concealed drugs in each of the last five years.

Andrew Selous: Prisoners recalled to custody having breached the conditions of their licence will be arrested by the police and then taken to the nearest local prison for the area in which they were arrested. Once returned to a local prison, prisoners will be searched and risk assessed in line with the prison’s local policy for stopping contraband. Prisons deploy a comprehensive range of robust searching and security measures to detect items of contraband both at the point of entry to the prison and concealed within the prison. Prisoners found with drugs on entry to prison could receive a range of sanctions including days added to their sentence, or, in cases where the quantity of drug or packaging suggests possession with intent to supply, are referred to the police. All visitors or staff caught with drugs are referred to the police as supply is always suspected in these cases. Data on the number of prisoners who were found with drugs following licence recall could only be collated at disproportionate cost.

Wandsworth Prison: Knives

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times (a) knife, (b) shiv, (c) shank, (d) chib and (e) another slang word for a blade were recorded on the Incident Report System in HM Prison Wandsworth in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times (a) knife, (b) shiv, (c) shank, (d) chib and (e) another slang word for a blade were recorded on the Incident Report System in HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times (a) knife, (b) shiv, (c) shank, (d) chib and (e) another slang word for a blade were recorded on the Incident Report System in HM Prison Oakwood in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times (a) knife, (b) shiv, (c) shank, (d) chib and (e) another slang word for a blade were recorded on the Incident Report System in HM Prison Parc in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Andrew Selous: The information requested, in respect of each of these four questions, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Medway Secure Training Centre

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many trainees from Medway Secure Training Centre required hospital treatment as a result of injury from (a) assault and (b) restraint in (i) 2013, (ii) 2014 and (iii) 2015.

Andrew Selous: We have appointed an Independent Improvement Board to increase oversight, scrutiny and challenge of managerial arrangements. As the justice secretary said last month, the safety and welfare of all those in custody is vital. The number of incidents at Medway Secure Training Centre which require hospital treatment as a result of injury from assault or Restrictive Physical Interventions can be found in the annual 2014/15 Youth Justice statistics (Chapter 8 – Behaviour Management) via the link below: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/youth-justice-annual-statistics-2014-to-2015 We are investigating the accuracy of all restraint injury data from Medway Secure Training Centre.

West Cumbria Magistrates' Court

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make it his policy to ensure that West Cumbria Magistrates' Court is not closed.

Mr Shailesh Vara: On 11 February 2016 I announced the outcome of the consultation on the provision of court and tribunal estate in England and Wales. West Cumbria Magistrates’ Court and County Court has been retained. The consultation response is available online at www.gov.uk/moj.

European Convention on Human Rights

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2015 to Question 6280, what work has been carried out to mitigate the risks identified from the EU's accession to the European Court of Human Rights.

Dominic Raab: Opinion 2/13 of The European Court of Justice raises a number of complex issues which have fundamental implications for any proposed agreement for the EU to accede to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). It will be very difficult for the EU and contracting parties to the ECHR to work out where this leaves the accession process and to negotiate a revised accession agreement on that basis. There is clearly no prospect of accession being achieved any time soon. In any discussions we will continue to make our ongoing concerns clear.

Leader of the House

Times of Sittings

Helen Jones: To ask the Leader of the House, when he plans to announce the parliamentary timetable for the rest of 2016.

Chris Grayling: The Parliamentary timetable is subject to the progress of business and will be announced in the usual way.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Sportsgrounds: Disability

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what his policy is on (a) the number and type of wheelchair access and accompanying person spaces at sports stadiums and (b) ticketing prices and arrangements for those spaces; and what support his Department advises such stadiums to extend to those who use wheelchairs and those who accompany them.

David Evennett: We believe that all people should be able to enjoy and participate in sports - and that disability should not be a barrier to that. Approved accessibility audits should be undertaken by individual clubs and stadia to determine the number and type of wheelchair access and accompanying person spaces which are available at those venues. The Accessible Stadia guide also sets out the minimum guidelines for such accommodation. Ticketing prices and arrangements for those spaces are a matter for the individual club or stadium to determine. My Department advises that such stadiums and clubs make the reasonable adjustments necessary to accommodate those who use wheelchairs and for those who accompany them in line with the provisions of the Equality Act 2010.

4G: Scotland

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of (a) premises in the Highlands and Islands he estimates will have indoor 4G coverage, (b) the Highlands area he estimates will have complete not-spots for voice and SMS text by 2017.

Mr Edward Vaizey: Improving mobile coverage remains a priority for the Government, and our landmark agreement in December 2014 with the four mobile network operators (MNOs) for each to provide voice and SMS text coverage to at least 90% of the UK landmass by 2017 will significantly improve coverage in the UK, including the Highlands area. The additional licence obligation on Telefonica will deliver significant improvements in 4G coverage as well and whilst we have no specific 4G coverage figures for the Highlands and Islands, the obligation will deliver indoor 4G coverage to 95% of premises in Scotland by end 2017. These obligations will also more than halve complete not spots for voice calls across the Highland area landmass over the same period.

5G

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he estimates the sale of 5G licences will take place; what estimate his Department has made of the revenue from the sale of the 5G spectrum; and whether he plans to invest the revenue from the sale of the 5G spectrum in digital infrastructure.

Mr Edward Vaizey: Once 5G as a technology standard has been finalised, we will know which frequencies are more likely to be used for 5G services. Receipts from spectrum auctions are paid into the Consolidated Fund operated by HM Treasury.

Radio Frequencies

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he plans to carry out a full ratio frequency allocation review; and whether he plans to coordinate future allocation of bandwidth with EU member states.

Mr Edward Vaizey: Ofcom, the independent regulator, regularly review what spectrum is allocated when they update the UK Frequency Allocation Table which is published on their website at http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/spectrum/information/uk-fat/ Ofcom takes into account allocations across Europe and the world when making decisions on spectrum allocation and represents UK at international spectrum meetings under direction by the UK Government.

S4C

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress he has made on commissioning an independent review of S4C's future remit and funding.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The Government is committed to a comprehensive review of S4C which will take place in 2017. Details of the review will be finalised in due course.

Broadband

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2016 to Question 22981, if he will ask Ofcom to publish an assessment of whether the 26 per cent of BT's ducts identified as being empty in the report, Telecoms infrastructure access - sample survey of duct access, published in March 2009, reflected the proportion of BT's ducts that were able to have fibre blown through them without further civil works in the superfast broadband rollout.

Mr Edward Vaizey: I understand from Ofcom that the sample surveyed in the Ofcom report ‘Telecoms infrastructure access – sample survey of duct access’, published in March 2009, provided an indicative rather than representative assessment of the potential spare capacity in BT’s ducts.

Public Libraries: Electronic Publishing

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress his Department has made on working with the EU Commission on extending the Public Lending Right to e-lending in local libraries.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The Department and the Libraries Taskforce are working with representatives of authors, publishers, public libraries, the PLR office and others, to ensure library service users have access to remote e-book lending, without charge, and to consider options to appropriately remunerate authors and other rights holders.

Cultural Heritage: Anguilla

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will take steps to support the inclusion of the Fountain Cavern in Anguilla in the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The Fountain Cavern is not currently on the UK World Heritage Tentative List, which is the first step in the process towards World Heritage Site status. If the site wishes to progress towards World Heritage Site status in the future, it will be important for the nominators to have prepared a thorough body of research to support the application. Organisations such as the UK National Commission for UNESCO and World Heritage UK are happy to provide advice on this process.

Sports: Public Participation

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to Sporting Future: A New Strategy for an Active Nation, published by his Department in December 2015, how his Department defines physical literacy.

David Evennett: We recognise that a number of definitions of physical literacy exist and are used in a variety of contexts within the sport and education sectors. Sport England and a number of national partners have developed the ‘Primary School Physical Literacy Framework’ - which can be found here - http://www.sportengland.org/media/332143/Physical-literacy-framework.pdf It provides a useful reference to those who deliver PE and school sport and is designed to ensure that schools provide maximum opportunity for all pupils to develop their physical literacy. In this context, physical literacy can be described as the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding that provides children with the foundation for lifelong participation in physical activity.

Listed Buildings: Energy

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of whether current arrangements for listed building status take account of potential measures that can be taken to improve the energy efficiency of data centres.

Mr Edward Vaizey: Listed buildings are designated by the Secretary of State on the basis of their special architectural and historic interest. Other factors - including their energy efficiency - can be considered through the process of seeking listed building consent (LBC) prior to the alteration, extension or demolition of such buildings. Requests for LBC are determined by the relevant local planning authority.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit: Employment

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people who are in receipt of benefits he estimates will be in full-time work after the roll-out of universal credit.

Priti Patel: This information can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Department for Work and Pensions: Telephone Services

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2016 to Question 25175, for what other purposes claimants can make free calls to his Department.

Justin Tomlinson: The Department uses 0800 numbers so that claimants can make free calls to claim State Pension, Pension Credit, Jobseekers’ Allowance, Income Support, Employment and Support Allowance, and Personal Independence Payment.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Disqualification

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many sanctions on jobseekers allowance were imposed in the most recent year for which data is available; and how many such sanctions were (a) under one month, (b) between one month and six months and (c) six months or more in duration.

Priti Patel: The information is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Children: Maintenance

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many outstanding cases the Child Support Agency have relating to the tracing of a non-resident parent.

Priti Patel: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Children: Maintenance

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans the Child Support Agency has to work more closely with the police in order to pursue the debt of non-resident parents.

Priti Patel: There are no plans to work with the police in order to try and pursue the debt of non-resident parents. We have at our disposal a range of strong enforcement powers, intended to ensure all parents fulfil their financial responsibilities towards their children. We are using all of the powers available to us where it is appropriate to do so. These powers include deducting maintenance directly from earnings, sharing information about non-compliance with credit reference agencies, instructing bailiffs to collect arrears or seize goods, forcing the sale of property, commitment to prison and disqualification from driving.

Children: Maintenance

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in how many cases the Child Support Agency has been successful in pursuing the debt of a non-resident parent in the last five years.

Priti Patel: The Government set up a new Child Maintenance scheme in 2012 to address historic failings in the 1993 and 2003 schemes. The Child Support Agency stopped accepting new applications in 2013. The operational priority of the statutory service is to collect money for children who will benefit from regular ongoing maintenance payments today, rather than prioritising the pursuit of historic arrears in cases where the children have now grown up.  The number of CSA cases paying towards an arrears liability is given in the table below. Quarter ending:Number of Cases with an Arrears LiabilityPaying Towards Arrears% Paying Towards ArrearsMar-121,188,200275,70023.2%Mar-131,240,200289,70023.4%Mar-141,274,200283,10022.2%Mar-151,232,000242,90019.7% This and further information is available in Table 10 of the latest Quarterly Summary of Statistics which can be accessed online at:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/479356/csa-quarterly-summary-stats-sept-2015.pdf  Notes:1) Data not available prior to March 20122) Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.3) A case is counted as paying towards arrears if they had an outstanding arrears balance at the end of the previous quarter and no liability to pay regular maintenance over the current quarter but money is being received via the collection service, or if the full regular liability has been satisfied in the quarter and additional payments have been received.

Pensioners: British Nationals Abroad

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what contingency plans his Department has developed to protect UK pensioners living in other EU member states in the event of UK exit from the EU.

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on UK pensioners living in another EU member state of a British withdrawal from the EU.

Justin Tomlinson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Prime Minister on 14 January 2016 to Question UIN 21952.

Personal Independence Payment

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with (a) fibromyalgia, (b) myalgic encephalomyelitis, (c) relapsing/remitting multiple sclerosis, (d) autism and (e) other mental health conditions have applied to move from disability living allowance to personal independence payment; and how many of those applications were successful.

Justin Tomlinson: The requested information for Personal Independence Payment applications is not available as information on PIP claimants’ disabling conditions is not collected at the initial claim application stage.   Such information on PIP awards, by disabling condition and whether new or reassessment claim status, are available from Stat-Xplore. https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/

State Retirement Pensions

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people who will begin receiving the new state pension in April 2016.

Justin Tomlinson: DWP have published an estimate of the number of people who will reach State Pension age in 2016/17 in figure 24 of ‘Impact of New State Pension (nSP) on an Individual’s Pension Entitlement – Longer Term Effects of nSP’ which can be found at:  https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/491845/impact-of-new-state-pension-longer-term-reserach.pdf   Information on the average new State Pension caseload in 2016/17 are published in table 2c of the ‘Autumn Statement 2015 Expenditure and caseloads’ publication, which is available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/490307/outturn-and-forecast-autumn-statement-2015.xlsx   Breakdowns by month are not available.

Department for Work and Pensions: Monster Worldwide

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the duration and value is of his Department's contract with Monster Worldwide Ltd for the management of Universal Jobmatch; and on what basis payments to Monster Worldwide Ltd are made under that contract.

Priti Patel: The contract with Monster Worldwide Ltd was signed on 25 January 2012 and will end on 18 March 2017. The total contract value is £20,026,152. Payment is made monthly in arrears.

Care Homes: Electrical Safety

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the level of compliance with regulations on electrical safety in care homes in England.

Justin Tomlinson: There has been no recent assessment of the level of compliance with the regulations on electrical safety in care homes in England by the Health and Safety Executive, Local Authorities or the Care Quality Commission. There is general guidance for dutyholders on expected electrical standards on the HSE website http://www.hse.gov.uk/index.htm and specific guidance for social care in HSE publication Health and Safety in Care homes chapter 4. http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg220.htm.

Unemployment: Young People

Nick Thomas-Symonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress his Department has made on developing proposals for implementing the Youth Obligation; and what organisations his Department are consulting to inform that process.

Priti Patel: The detailed policy design is still under development. We will set out our policy design for the Youth Obligation in due course.   We will be conducting a stakeholder engagement exercise with organisations and employers shortly.

Universal Credit: Social Rented Housing

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment for his policies of the findings of the National Federation of ALMOs Welfare reform survey relating to universal credit.

Priti Patel: DWP is currently considering the report from the National Federations of ALMOs and the Minister of State for Welfare Reform will be meeting to discuss their findings in due course.

Construction: Accidents

Mr Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time taken was between a fatal accident in construction and a conviction on the latest date for which data is available.

Justin Tomlinson: For fatalities in construction (Standard Industrial Classification, section F) reported to HSE between 2006/07 and 2014/15, the average time between the date of the incident and the date of the first hearing where a conviction is recorded is 1208 days. The time between the incident and conviction dates by yearly time bands is as follows:   Date of ConvictionAverage number of days between incident date and conviction date2006/20079852007/200812342008/200911532009/201012142010/201112512011/201212512012/201313362013/201411852014/20151267   Within the overall time frame from fatal incident to conviction a number of discrete stages may be involved and these are performed by different agencies largely out of HSE’s control:The police assume primacy initially and retain it until negligent homicide offences have been identified or eliminated.   Where negligent homicide is suspected, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will consider a file submitted to them by the Police.   HSE works closely with the police and CPS throughout this phase in accordance with the Work Related Deaths Protocol (WRDP) to which the Police, CPS, HSE and other regulators are signatories.   Before HSE brings a prosecution it is normal to await the outcome of an inquest held by HM Coroner.   If a defendant has been charged it can take some time for the case to come to trial particularly where if　it is defended and heard in the Crown Court.   Recognising the importance to victims of ensuring all stages of the process are concluded as quickly as possible, the WRDP National Liaison Committee recently agreed that any decision to prosecute should be made within 3 years of the date of death other than in exceptional circumstances – currently approximately 85% of investigations are completed within this timescale.   For its part HSE has an internal target of completing 95% of fatal accident investigations within 12 months of assuming primacy – attainment is now at 70% and the trend is improving.

Ministry of Defence

World War I: Anniversaries

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans the armed forces have to commemorate the Battle of the Somme.

Mark Lancaster: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is the lead Government Department for the Somme Centenary Commemorative Programme.The Ministry of Defence and Her Majesty's Armed Forces are providing significant support to the three major events in Thiepval, London and Manchester and also providing support to a large number of other events that are being run by Regiments and other military organisations. These other events are taking place not only in France at the scene of the Battle but also in regions across the United Kingdom.

Navy: Clothing

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the county of origin of manufacture is of the PCS clothing solution.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not hold a list of countries used by our prime contractors to manufacture Personal Clothing Solution garments. The MOD is required to comply with all legislation and relevant Government policy, and, subject to these conditions, the MOD does not restrict the geographical location of manufacture.

Libya: Deployment

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether personnel from Reaper Squadrons 39 and 13 attended military meetings in Tobruk between 18 January and 31 January 2016.

Penny Mordaunt: The Government has a long-standing policy not to comment on intelligence matters.

Libya: Deployment

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the proposal from the Italian government (a) to deploy 1,000 British troops to Libya and (b) for Italian Reaper drones to conduct target acquisition in Libya for the purpose of joint strike operations with the US and UK.

Penny Mordaunt: The UK is considering, with partner nations, how we can best support the new Libyan government, including in terms of capacity building and security sector reform. No decisions have been made about the future deployment of any British military forces to Libya as part of an international coalition force.

Air Force: Deployment

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether personnel from Reaper Squadrons 39 and 13 are currently embedded with (a) US, (b) French and (c) Italian armed forces.

Penny Mordaunt: No personnel directly from 39 Squadron or 13 Squadron are currently embedded with the US armed forces. However, from the Reaper force as a whole, there are currently six Royal Air Force personnel embedded with the United States Air Force. There are no Reaper force personnel serving with the French or Italian armed forces.

Italy: Deployment

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether personnel from Reaper Squadrons 39 and 13 have been deployed to Sicily.

Penny Mordaunt: No personnel from 39 Squadron or 13 Squadron have been deployed to Sicily.

Navy: Training

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what countries take part in Flag Officer Sea Training courses for surface ships and submarines.

Penny Mordaunt: Each year, a number of countries participate in training with Flag Officer Sea Training. In 2015, the following 58 countries undertook training: Albania, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belize, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, France, Germany, Georgia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Malta, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Singapore, Somaliland, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Vietnam and Yemen.

Trident Submarines

Kate Hollern: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what project type his Department categorised the Successor Trident programme as for optimism bias purposes.

Kate Hollern: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what percentage optimism bias his Department applied to the Successor Trident programme.

Mr Philip Dunne: Successor submarine is categorised as "Production of a Platform" for optimism bias purposes. In line with normal Ministry of Defence processes, the optimism bias will be addressed as part of the process of securing approval for the next investment point.I am withholding information for the current calculations for optimism bias, as the formal internal scrutiny process has not been completed.

Libya: Unmanned Air Vehicles

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the evidence given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 10 February 2016, how many operations UK Reaper drones have undertaken in Libyan airspace this year.

Penny Mordaunt: The Government has a long-standing policy not to comment on intelligence matters.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2016 to Question 24110, whether he plans to publish the terms of reference for the Reaper User Group before the Group meeting on 14 to 18 March 2016.

Penny Mordaunt: The release of the Terms of Reference for the Reaper User Group will be discussed at the next meeting from 14 to 18 March 2016.

Trident Submarines: Contracts

Kate Hollern: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) details of contractor, (b) scope, (c) value and (d) cost overrun from the original estimate are of contracts awarded for the Successor Trident programme.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Ministry of Defence manages a wide range of contracts to support the Successor submarine programme. The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Navy

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Strategic Defence and Security Review on the global reach of the Royal Navy.

Penny Mordaunt: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 27 January 2016 to Question 23411.http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2clords&uin=23411



Navy Deployment
(Word Document, 14.82 KB)

Armed Forces: Civilians

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 2.2.72 of his Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2014-15, for which roles responsibility has been transferred from military to civilian personnel since 2010.

Mark Lancaster: The potential for non-operational Armed Forces roles to be filled by civilian personnel is routinely considered under the Whole Force Approach. However, details of these changes are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

RAF Northolt: Safety

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the report produced by Ernst and Young for his Department in February 2012 on development options and safety standards at RAF Northolt recommended that an Engineered Material Arresting System be installed at RAF Northolt; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 28 January 2016 to Question 24027. The Mott MacDonald report referenced in that previous answer was an Appendix to the Ernst and Young study of February 2012.



RAF Northolt Safety
(Word Document, 15.76 KB)

Aviation: EU Action

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2015 to Question 20110, what specific benefits the UK derives from membership of (a) the European Defence Agency's Military Airworthiness Authorisation Forum, (b) European Defence Agency helicopter training programmes and (c) the Single European Sky initiative.

Mr Julian Brazier: The Military Airworthiness Authorisation Forum (MAWA) improves military aviation safety, reduces military air system acquisition costs, and increases interoperability through harmonisation of military airworthiness regulations. Significant cost savings in the Eurofighter Typhoon programme are likely because of MAWA work led by the UK, and our active involvement in the MAWA Forum provides the UK a position of influence across the Military aviation community.The helicopter training programmes carried out under the European Defence Agency include Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK, and have derived unprecedented levels of interoperability.Using standard operating procedures, derived in large part from UK methods, several hundred helicopter aircrew from across Europe have been exposed to, instructed in, and are now following the same procedures as UK aircrew. This means that future operations, be it under NATO, EU, or other coalition - are being de-risked through increased ability and greater interoperability. Our forces can use other nations' helicopters safely, including for medical evacuation, confident of their in-combat ability while operating in the same manner as UK assets.The Single European Sky and Air Traffic Management Research programme is analysing the implications for military operations of new legislation and equipment upgrade programmes supporting increased commercial aviation out to 2035.

Ministry of Defence: Staff

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 4.61 of the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, whether civilians employed by (a) the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, (b) Defence Equipment and Support and (c) trading funds are included in his Department's calculation of the size of the workforce he expects to cut by 30 per cent by the end of this Parliament.

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2015 to Question 17914, which change programmes are expected to contribute to the planned reduction in the size of his Department's civilian workforce over the current Parliament; and what size of reductions he expects to result from each such change programme.

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 30 November 2015 to Question 17735, what change programmes are underway which are expected to reduce the size of his Department's civilian workforce.

Mark Lancaster: The Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Defence Equipment and Support and the Trading Funds were included in the baseline workforce calculation.The Ministry of Defence is managing a range of change programmes designed to deliver Defence outputs more efficiently and effectively, including Army 2020 and outsourcing logistics to Leidos. A Business Improvement Review has been set up to identify opportunities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of support activities across Defence. This Review will look at the total shape, size and structure of our civilian workforce, the functions and processes that they are engaged in, and how those can be made more efficient.The Department expects the civilian workforce to reduce to around 41,000 by 2020. However, the timing and reductions associated with individual programmes are still to be determined and final decisions will be subject to consultation with employee representatives, value for money considerations and, where appropriate, commercial negotiation.

Iraq: Military Intervention

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2016 to Question 24285, how many times (a) Brimstone missiles, (b) Hellfire missiles and (c) Paveway IV guided bombs were deployed against targets in Iraq between 2 December 2015 and 29 January 2016.

Penny Mordaunt: The number of weapons fired by each weapon type in Iraq during the period requested is shown below: Weapon TypeNumber of weapons fired at targets in IraqHellfire39Dual Mode Seeker Brimstone15Paveway IV230

Ministry of Defence: Fringe Benefits

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff in his Department and non-departmental public bodies receive (a) home to work travel allowance, (b) a car allowance and (c) subsidised health insurance.

Mark Lancaster: Information on non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, I am able to provide the following information for core Ministry of Defence Civil Servants.Home to work travel allowance has been interpreted as Excess Fares Allowance. This is paid to staff who move from one establishment to another on the Department's instruction. It is normally paid for a maximum period of four years and compensates the officer for additional travel costs they have incurred as a result of the move. The number in receipt of regular Excess Fares Allowance is 1,390.Car allowance and subsidised health insurance are not routinely paid. There are, however, four officers in receipt of car allowance and 14 officers in receipt of subsidised health insurance as they retained their terms and conditions following an inward transfer from the private sector under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006.

River Clyde: Weapons

Ronnie Cowan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimates his Department has made of the amount of unexploded ordinance in the River Clyde.

Mark Lancaster: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has made no estimate of the amount of unexploded ordinance (UXO) in the River Clyde.The Royal Navy routinely survey important shipping routes in the Clyde and make safe any ordnance discovered. In addition they occasionally make safe ordnance discovered in the Clyde by other non-defence means. All UXO identified in the Clyde is removed and/or made safe.MOD information on sea dumped munitions in the British Isles has been placed in the public domain; it can be accessed at the following internet address:http://tna.europarchive.org/20091204111626/http:/mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/HealthandSafetyPublications/DSEA/DisposalOfMunitionsAtSea.htmThe records show no historic dump sites in the River Clyde.

Armed Forces: Scotland

Ronnie Cowan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many visits the armed forces made to state secondary schools in (a) Inverclyde and (b) Scotland in each of the last five years.

Mark Lancaster: The Armed Forces never visit schools for recruitment purposes and would only ever visit a school after being invited by a teacher to support school activities. Similar contributions to schools are made by the Police, Fire, Ambulance and other emergency services. The Armed Forces receive numerous requests from schools each year and the three Services take these opportunities to both explain their role, and to assist schools in teaching valuable skills such as leadership, teamwork and citizenship. These visits can comprise presentations, citizenship talks, meetings with staff, participation in career events, practice interviews and activities with the students, such as science and maths challenges, and other indoor or outdoor exercises. Information on the number of visits by the Royal Navy and the Army to secondary schools is presented below, by Financial Year (FY); the category of secondary educational establishment (such as state or independent) is not recorded. Details of visits by the Royal Air Force could not be provided in the time available and I will write to the hon. Member when the information is available. Royal NavyFY2011-122012-132013-142014-152015-16Scotland26717617615088Inverclyde10340Note: 2015-16 to 12 February 2016. ArmyFY2011-122012-132013-142014-152015-16Scotland191199175203279InverclydeNot KnownNot KnownNot Known61Note: 2015-16 includes events confirmed to the end of March 2016.

Ministry of Defence: Iron and Steel

Kate Hollern: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2016 to Question 23620, what steps his Department has taken to implement new Government guidelines to help UK steel suppliers compete effectively for future defence projects; and what processes or policies have been changed as a result of those guidelines.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has issued new policy outlining the steps that should be taken to meet the Government's aim of levelling the playing field for UK steel producers. This policy emphasises the importance of pre-market engagement, including through industry days, and signalling future requirements for steel. The MOD has also written to its largest defence contractors to highlight the new guidelines.

Ministry of Defence: Security Guards

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) military and (b) civilian personnel have been employed as security guards (i) directly and (ii) by external third parties contracted by his Department in each of the last six years.

Mark Lancaster: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) employs the MOD Guard Service (MGS) and the Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS) to guard some of their establishments. Over the last six years the following numbers have been employed: FYMPGSMGS2010-112,3103,5932011-122,5103,4392012-132,6303,1102013-142,7702,7342014-152,8102,0642015-162,9402,035 The MOD also uses commercial civilian guarding at some sites where this is more cost effective. However, the numbers of security guards employed by third parties is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Civilians

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK civilian personnel are currently deployed on military operations; and in what capacity such personnel are deployed.

Penny Mordaunt: There are 84 UK civilian personnel currently deployed on behalf of the Ministry of Defence on military operations. 26 of those are deployed as UK civil servants undertaking a range of essential roles including policy, legal and scientific advice, financial and commercial services, and delivery of the Government's ex gratia redundancy and intimidation schemes for locally employed civilians. 58 of those 84 are deployed as contractors, undertaking a range of support roles.In both cases, the roles are undertaken principally in Kabul and locations across the Gulf.

Defence Intelligence: Staff

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) military and (b) civilian personnel were employed within Defence Intelligence in each of the last six years.

Penny Mordaunt: The strength of Defence Intelligence for Service and civilian personnel at year end for the years 2010-11 to 2015-16 was: YearService PersonnelCivilians2015-16 (at January 2016)2,1371,3602014-152,3321,3652013-142,4121,3232012-132,4581,3062011-122,3231,1322010-112,3301,326

Military Police: Staff

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many full-time equivalent personnel were employed by the (a) Royal Military Police, (b) Royal Naval Police and (c) Royal Air Force Police in each of the last six years.

Penny Mordaunt: The requested information, as at 1 April of each year, is provided in the following table:Strength of Trained UK Regular personnel in the Royal Military Police (RMP), Royal Naval Police (RNP) and Royal Air Force Police (RAFP) 201020112012201320142015RMP1,7001,7101,7201,7401,7201,620RNP340320320300290300RAFP1,4801,4501,3601,2001,1101,140Notes:1. UK Regular Forces comprises Full-time personnel but does not include Gurkhas, Full Time Reserve Service personnel and Reservists.2. RMP figures do not include approximately 2,900 Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS) personnel and a small number of "staff" (Colonel and above) who have a late arm/corps of Provost. Recent MPGS personnel numbers are available in Table 1 of the Service Personnel Statistics report:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/499082/Monthly_Service_Personnel_Statistics_January_2016.xlsx3. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. Numbers ending in 5 are rounded to the nearest 20 to avoid systematic bias. Totals and sub-totals have been rounded separately and so may not equal the sums of their rounded parts.

Armed Forces: Civilians

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK civilian personnel not formally deployed to an operational theatre visited such a theatre in the most recent year for which figures are available; and in what capacity those personnel carried out those visits.

Penny Mordaunt: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Aviation

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) military and (b) civilian personnel were employed as (i) flight instructors, (ii) aircraft engineers and (iii) air traffic controllers in each of the last six years.

Penny Mordaunt: Flight InstructorsAircraft EngineersAir Traffic ControllersMilitaryCivilian*MilitaryCivilian**MilitaryCivilian***20157208510,920390730Information not held.20147208511,50035076020137508512,37031579020128208013,41031579020118508014,41031079020107208513,310290810 Military figures are for trained UK Regular forces but exclude Full Time Reserve Service Personnel and Reservists. * These figures include Civil Servants and contractors.** Civil Service figures only. Equipment support contracts are output based; contracts do not specify the number of personnel needed to meet the required output.*** Civilian posts have reduced from circa 54 in 2010 to 19 in 2016.

Armed Forces: Flight Simulation

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many simulators were used for military flight training in each of the last six years.

Penny Mordaunt: The information requested is provided below; it comprises both fixed wing and rotary simulators.2015 - 412014 - 412013 - 402012 - 392011 - 392010 - 31

RAF Northolt: Advertising

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the RAF has spent on the marketing of RAF Northolt for civilian flights in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: The RAF has spent £3,600 on marketing for this purpose over the last five years.

RAF Northolt: Internet

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the RAF has spent on the design and management of www.londonvipairport.com; how many hits the site generates each month; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: The total cost of www.londonvipairport.com since the domain name was purchased in 2011 is £428.76 (including VAT). The website is maintained by RAF Northolt's military IT hub using irreducible spare capacity from that section's other military roles. The number of hits to this site is not recorded.

RAF Northolt: Advertising

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether RAF personnel have attended any civilian aviation trade conferences or exhibitions to promote civilian flights at RAF Northolt over the last five years; which events were so attended; how many RAF personnel attended each such event; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: The following personnel have attended the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition:  MilitaryCivilianMay 201230May 201330May 201432May 201531The information for 2011 is not available.

RAF Northolt

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether RAF personnel have been involved in the running and marketing of the civilian operation at RAF Northolt; how much in staff (a) time and (b) costs is spent on managing and marketing civilian flights; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: Our multi-activity contractor runs the Commercial Booking Cell on behalf of the Royal Air Force (RAF), to co-ordinate and book civilian aircraft slots at RAF Northolt. RAF operations and Air Traffic Control staffs are utilised for civilian aircraft movements within the irreducible spare capacity of these areas. From 2011 to 2015 one Executive Officer civil servant spent approximately 20% of their working week undertaking administrative business management functions of commercial bookings. From October 2015, this became a full-time Executive Officer post.

Military Aircraft: Helicopters

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) Sea King HC4, (b) Wildcat, (c) Gazelle, (d) Apache, (e) Chinook HC2/3, (f) Puma HC2 and (g) Merlin Mk 3/3A helicopters are (i) in the Forward Available Fleet, (ii) in the Sustainment Fleet and (iii) classed as Short-Term Unserviceable.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Forward Fleet comprises aircraft which are serviceable and those which are short-term unserviceable. The Sustainment Fleet numbers represent those aircraft in our Depth Fleet, which comprises aircraft which are undergoing planned depth maintenance or upgrade programmes. Short-term unserviceable aircraft are undergoing minor works, forward maintenance or any other unforeseen rectification or technical inspection work that can arise on a day-to-day basis. Figures shown are the average for December 2015, the most recent data available. QuerySea King HC4Wildcat BRH Mk1Wildcat HMA Mk2GazelleApacheChinook HC2/3 Note 1Puma HC2Merlin Mk 3/3AForward Available Fleet71914193201317Sustainment Fleet0837180108Short-Term Unserviceable212712130410   Note 1: All Chinook HC2/2a aircraft have undergone modification with new cockpit avionics and are now HC4 variants. In December 2015 there were 26 HC4 aircraft in the forward fleet and 12 in sustainment. The (eight) Chinook HC3 were all removed from the forward fleet last year and are undergoing modification with new cockpit avionics and a new digital automatic flight control system. Once modified, these aircraft become Chinook HC5 variants.

Military Aircraft: Helicopters

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) Sea King HC4, (b) Wildcat, (c) Gazelle, (d) Apache, (e) Chinook HC2/3, (f) Puma HC2 and (g) Merlin Mk 3/3A helicopters were used for military flight training in each of the last six years.

Mr Philip Dunne: The following table shows the numbers of aircraft, broken down by type, for the previous six financial years:  FYSea King HC4Wildcat BRH Mk1GazelleApacheChinook HC2/3Puma HC2Merlin Mk 3/3A14-15212411410213-14261312841212-132-41210-211-122-21110-210-112-31211-209-102-61215-2 Note 1: Not in service before 2013-14. All Chinook HC2/2a aircraft have undergone modification with new cockpit avionics and are now HC4. In December 2015 there were 26 HC4 aircraft in the forward fleet and 12 in sustainment. The (eight) Chinook HC3 were all removed from the forward fleet last year and are undergoing modification with new cockpit avionics and a new digital automatic flight control system. Once modified, these aircraft become Chinook HC5. The Wildcat HMA MK2 entered service in January 2015, but was not used for training in that financial year as it was in a trials phase.

Ministry of Defence: Pay

Mr David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average hourly earnings of (a) female, (b) male, (c) full-time and (d) part-time employees of his Department were in each of the last five years.

Mark Lancaster: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Trident Submarines

Kate Hollern: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department's estimates of the cost of the Successor Trident programme elemental contingency were included in addition to the programme contingency as was the case with the 2012 Olympics programme.

Mr Philip Dunne: All Ministry of Defence programme cost estimates include essential risk provision.

Ministry of Defence: Twickenham

Dr Tania Mathias: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the potential sale value of the site of Kneller Hall, Whitton.

Mark Lancaster: Although the Ministry of Defence has received an initial valuation for Kneller Hall, it is commercially sensitive and to release it would prejudice commercial interests.

Ministry of Defence: Twickenham

Dr Tania Mathias: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Government has spent on the upkeep of the site of Kneller Hall, Whitton, in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Mark Lancaster: Information on investment at Kneller Hall for each of the financial years for which figures are available is shown in the following table: Financial YearTotal Spend £ million2009-20100.72010-20111.12011-20121.12012-20131.12013-20141.22014-20151.52015-20161.1 (estimate)

Ministry of Defence: Greater Manchester

Mike Kane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what property and land assets his Department holds in Greater Manchester.

Mark Lancaster: The property and land assets held by the MOD in Greater Manchester are shown below:Ardwick Green Army Reserve CentreAshton-under-Lyne Army Reserve CentreBelle Vue Street Army Reserve CentreBolton Army Reserve CentreBury Army Reserve CentreDefence Business Services Cheadle HulmeFailsworth Oldham Road Army Reserve CentreHaldane Barracks Army Reserve CentreHolcombe Moor Training AreaHolcombe Moor Training CampKings Road Army Reserve CentreManchester Road Army Reserve CentreNorman Road Army Reserve CentreRamsbottom Weekend Training CentreStockport Territorial Army CentreUpper Chorlton Road Army Reserve CentreUniversity Barracks Territorial Army, Army Cadet Force & Army Cadet Force HeadquartersWigan Territorial Army Centre, Army Cadet Force & Air Training Corps

Kurds: Military Aid

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that military assistance, support and training provided by the UK to the Kurdistan regional government does not directly or indirectly contribute to or facilitate the commission of violations of international human rights or humanitarian law.

Penny Mordaunt: The Ministry of Defence takes it role in promoting human rights very seriously. Before the UK undertakes any training of foreign troops around the world, we assess the potential impact of the proposed training in relation to human rights and international humanitarian law and we seek to mitigate any risks.To support the fight against Daesh the UK military is currently providing the Infantry Battle Course to the Peshmerga. This course includes training on international humanitarian law.

Land

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether land at the rear of number 243, Thames Side, Chertsey, or land within a two mile radius of it, has been used by his Department in the last 30 years.

Mark Lancaster: The MOD holds no records showing the use of any land at the rear of number 243 Thames Side, Chertsey or within a two mile radius of that address.

HMS Victory

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to inform the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham of progress made on matters relating to the future of the Victory 1744 discussed in that hon. Member's meeting with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence in September 2015.

Mark Lancaster: Discussions between officials in the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Media, Culture and Sport will continue and an announcement with regard to the future of Victory 1744 will be made once these deliberations are complete.

Forces Help to Buy Scheme

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many properties have been purchased through the Forces Help to Buy Scheme in each month since its inception.

Mark Lancaster: The requested information is provided in the following table: MonthNumber of Forces Help to Buy Payments MadeApril 20148May 2014106June 2014244July 2014346August 2014296September 2014281October 2014343November 2014289December 2014298January 2015234February 2015232March 2015306April 2015222May 2015320June 2015367July 2015385August 2015322September 2015297October 2015337November 2015317December 2015315

Home Office

Asylum: Deportation

Mr David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been removed from the UK under the Dublin Convention in each year since 2010.

James Brokenshire: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 15 June 2015.The correct answer should have been:

The number of people transferred under the Dublin Convention and the later Dublin II and Dublin III Regulations, is shown in the following table:  20102011201220132014Total154513439721023740Transfers to other Member States under the Dublin Regulations fell in the last three years because we stopped transferring asylum claimants to Greece in 2010. This was because it was found conditions there amounted to a breach of article 3 of the European Convention of Human Rights. There then followed similar litigation around conditions in Italy, but we are still able to effect transfers there.Our records indicate that the number of people transferred under the Dublin Convention and the later Dublin II and Dublin III Regulations were as shown in the following table:  20102011201220132014Total1,150980740800520 Figures are rounded to the nearest 10; are based on the latest management information so are subject to change; and have not been quality assured under national statistics protocols. Transfers to other Member States under the Dublin Regulations fell in the last three years because we stopped transferring asylum claimants to Greece in 2010. This was because it was found conditions there amounted to a breach of article 3 of the European Convention of Human Rights. There then followed similar litigation around conditions in Italy, but we are still able to effect transfers there.

James Brokenshire: The number of people transferred under the Dublin Convention and the later Dublin II and Dublin III Regulations, is shown in the following table:  20102011201220132014Total154513439721023740Transfers to other Member States under the Dublin Regulations fell in the last three years because we stopped transferring asylum claimants to Greece in 2010. This was because it was found conditions there amounted to a breach of article 3 of the European Convention of Human Rights. There then followed similar litigation around conditions in Italy, but we are still able to effect transfers there.Our records indicate that the number of people transferred under the Dublin Convention and the later Dublin II and Dublin III Regulations were as shown in the following table:  20102011201220132014Total1,150980740800520 Figures are rounded to the nearest 10; are based on the latest management information so are subject to change; and have not been quality assured under national statistics protocols. Transfers to other Member States under the Dublin Regulations fell in the last three years because we stopped transferring asylum claimants to Greece in 2010. This was because it was found conditions there amounted to a breach of article 3 of the European Convention of Human Rights. There then followed similar litigation around conditions in Italy, but we are still able to effect transfers there.

Asylum: Deportation

Mr Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers were removed from the UK under the Dublin Convention in (a) 2005, (b) 2010 and (c) 2014.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 06 July 2015






An error has been identified in the written answer given on 21 July 2015.The correct answer should have been:

In 2010 1,545 people were removed from the UK with reference to the Dublin Regulation, which replaced the Dublin Convention in 2003. This figure includes people who claimed asylum in the UK and those who did not, but had asylum claims in other States, as the Dublin Regulation applies in both cases. In 2014 740 were removed. Comparable figures are not available for 2005. The figures are based on management information and are only valid for the date of the report (11 June 2015). This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.Removals from the UK under the Dublin Regulations have fallen since 2010 primarily because all Member States are unable to make transfers to Greece following the ruling on 21 January 2011 from the European Court of Human Rights in the case of MSS vs Belgium and Greece. The Court found that Greece had violated Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) that prohibits inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment both because of the poor living conditions for applicants and the failure by the Greek authorities to properly consider his asylum claim. This ruling prevents further transfers to Greece until the situation improves.Since the Court ruling the UK has helped Greece significantly to improve its asylum system, both bilaterally and as part of interventions under the European Asylum Support Office (EASO). The UK has contributed more working days in asylum expert deployments under EASO support plans to countries such as Greece than any other Member State. Our records indicate that in 2010 1,150 people were removed from the UK with reference to the Dublin Regulation, which replaced the Dublin Convention in 2003. This figure includes people who claimed asylum in the UK and those who did not, but had asylum claims in other States, as the Dublin Regulation applies in both cases. Our records indicate that in 2014 520 people were removed, and in 2005 1,890 people were removed. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10, and are based on the latest management information and so are subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.Removals from the UK under the Dublin Regulations have fallen since 2010 primarily because all Member States are unable to make transfers to Greece following the ruling on 21 January 2011 from the European Court of Human Rights in the case of MSS vs Belgium and Greece. The Court found that Greece had violated Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) that prohibits inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment both because of the poor living conditions for applicants and the failure by the Greek authorities to properly consider his asylum claim. This ruling prevents further transfers to Greece until the situation improves.Since the Court ruling the UK has helped Greece significantly to improve its asylum system, both bilaterally and as part of interventions under the European Asylum Support Office (EASO). The UK has contributed more working days in asylum expert deployments under EASO support plans to countries such as Greece than any other Member State.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 06 July 2015



In 2010 1,545 people were removed from the UK with reference to the Dublin Regulation, which replaced the Dublin Convention in 2003. This figure includes people who claimed asylum in the UK and those who did not, but had asylum claims in other States, as the Dublin Regulation applies in both cases. In 2014 740 were removed. Comparable figures are not available for 2005. The figures are based on management information and are only valid for the date of the report (11 June 2015). This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.Removals from the UK under the Dublin Regulations have fallen since 2010 primarily because all Member States are unable to make transfers to Greece following the ruling on 21 January 2011 from the European Court of Human Rights in the case of MSS vs Belgium and Greece. The Court found that Greece had violated Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) that prohibits inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment both because of the poor living conditions for applicants and the failure by the Greek authorities to properly consider his asylum claim. This ruling prevents further transfers to Greece until the situation improves.Since the Court ruling the UK has helped Greece significantly to improve its asylum system, both bilaterally and as part of interventions under the European Asylum Support Office (EASO). The UK has contributed more working days in asylum expert deployments under EASO support plans to countries such as Greece than any other Member State. Our records indicate that in 2010 1,150 people were removed from the UK with reference to the Dublin Regulation, which replaced the Dublin Convention in 2003. This figure includes people who claimed asylum in the UK and those who did not, but had asylum claims in other States, as the Dublin Regulation applies in both cases. Our records indicate that in 2014 520 people were removed, and in 2005 1,890 people were removed. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10, and are based on the latest management information and so are subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.Removals from the UK under the Dublin Regulations have fallen since 2010 primarily because all Member States are unable to make transfers to Greece following the ruling on 21 January 2011 from the European Court of Human Rights in the case of MSS vs Belgium and Greece. The Court found that Greece had violated Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) that prohibits inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment both because of the poor living conditions for applicants and the failure by the Greek authorities to properly consider his asylum claim. This ruling prevents further transfers to Greece until the situation improves.Since the Court ruling the UK has helped Greece significantly to improve its asylum system, both bilaterally and as part of interventions under the European Asylum Support Office (EASO). The UK has contributed more working days in asylum expert deployments under EASO support plans to countries such as Greece than any other Member State.

Asylum: Deportation

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have been removed to a third country under the terms of the Dublin Convention in each month of 2014 and 2015 to date; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 14 September 2015.The correct answer should have been:

The information requested is shown in the following table:Jan-14Feb-14Mar-14Apr-14May-14Jun-14Jul-14Aug-14Sep-14Oct-14Nov-14Dec-14Jan-15Feb-15Mar-15Apr-15May-15Jun-15Total8867805757555141717464404967715936711098These figures are based on management information and are only valid for the date of the report (8/09/2015). This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols. The following table shows the information requested, as indicated by our records: Jan-14Feb-14Mar-14Apr-14May-14Jun-14Jul-14Aug-14Sep-14Oct-14Nov-14Dec-14504040304030303050503020Jan-15Feb-15Mar-15Apr-15May-15Jun-15304040402050 Figures are rounded to the nearest 10; are based on the latest management information so are subject to change; and have not been quality assured under national statistics protocols. These figures include people who have claimed asylum in the UK (main applicants), who applied on or after 01 October 2006.

James Brokenshire: The information requested is shown in the following table:Jan-14Feb-14Mar-14Apr-14May-14Jun-14Jul-14Aug-14Sep-14Oct-14Nov-14Dec-14Jan-15Feb-15Mar-15Apr-15May-15Jun-15Total8867805757555141717464404967715936711098These figures are based on management information and are only valid for the date of the report (8/09/2015). This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols. The following table shows the information requested, as indicated by our records: Jan-14Feb-14Mar-14Apr-14May-14Jun-14Jul-14Aug-14Sep-14Oct-14Nov-14Dec-14504040304030303050503020Jan-15Feb-15Mar-15Apr-15May-15Jun-15304040402050 Figures are rounded to the nearest 10; are based on the latest management information so are subject to change; and have not been quality assured under national statistics protocols. These figures include people who have claimed asylum in the UK (main applicants), who applied on or after 01 October 2006.

Gilbert Deya

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken since 6 May 2010 on the case of Mr Gilbert Juma Deya's immigration status in the UK.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 22 January 2016



The Secretary of State is considering further representations from Mr Deya that extradition would breach his Convention rights. She will make a decision as soon as possible.

Visas

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2016 to Question 21728, how many applications for a Tier 2 (General) restricted Certificate of Sponsorship have been rejected on the grounds that the job is in an establishment which provides a take-away service in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 25 January 2016



The information is not readily available and could not be obtained within the proportionate cost limit.

France: Immigration Controls

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the status is of the 2003 Le Touquet Treaty in international law.

James Brokenshire: Juxtaposed Controls were introduced for short sea crossings by the “Treaty Between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the French Republic Concerning the Implementation of Frontier Controls at the Sea ports of Both Countries on the Channel and North Sea”, signed at Le Touquet on 4 February 2003.This bilateral agreement between the UK and France provides for immigration controls to be conducted by the country of arrival in designated control zones in the country of departure at both French and UK sea ports on the Channel and North Sea, including Calais and Dunkirk in France, and Dover in the UK.The Le Touquet Treaty is an agreement concluded between the UK and France under international law.

Passports: Interviews

Chris Law: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a security assessment has been made of the potential use of non-HM Passport Office (HMPO) sites for interviews when HMPO plans to replace face-to-face interviews with video-link interviews.

James Brokenshire: When commissioning new video interview sites, a security risk assessment is undertaken and the service has to be suitably accredited. Video interviewing, using this approach, has been used successfully for customers in other locations since 2007.

HM Passport Office: Dundee

Chris Law: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether staff working at the HM Passport Office site in Dundee will be (a) offered alternative employment or (b) made redundant.

James Brokenshire: Her Majesty’s Passport Office is committed to avoiding the need for redundancies, and if at all possible, will seek to find suitable alternative employment for the staff either within the Home Office or the wider Civil Service.If no suitable alternative employment can be found for the staff, then they will be offered voluntary redundancy terms in line with the current Civil Service Compensation Scheme.An offer of a voluntary early exit has already been made should staff not wish to continue their careers within the Civil Service.

HM Passport Office: Dundee

Chris Law: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the property lease contract on the HM Passport Office site in Dundee ends; and if she will extend the proposed timeframe for closure of this site.

James Brokenshire: Her Majesty’s Passport Office holds a serviced office arrangement with Scottish Enterprise at Enterprise House, Dundee which allows access to facilities and interview rooms for three days each week.Interviews will cease in Dundee on 18 March 2016. HM Passport Office is currently in discussion with Scottish Enterprise to end the arrangement a short time after the interviews cease. There are no plans to extend the proposed timeframe.

HM Passport Office: Closures

Chris Law: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether lease contracts on buildings currently housing HM Passport Office interview offices that are facing closure would allow for the proposed timeframe of office closures to be extended.

James Brokenshire: Sites which host flexible interview teams are operated by Her Majesty’s Passport Office as managed office space. Rental agreements vary, but most require one month notice.In Blackburn, Bristol, Crawley, Leicester and Sheffield HM Passport Office holds a licence to occupy the premises until September 2018, with an opportunity to break the licence in September 2016.A date to cease interviewing in March 2016 has been set to enable staff to work with the Home Office career transition service and focus on finding alternative employment prior to the offices being decommissioned.

Domestic Violence

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the general trends in the incidence of domestic violence across the UK in the last 10 years; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the total number of (a) women and (b) children who have suffered an instance of domestic abuse in each of the last five years.

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has received from charities on the risk posed to children by domestic abuse; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the threat posed to children by domestic violence; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the risk posed to children by domestic violence; and if she will make a statement.

Karen Bradley: Data showing the total number of women who have suffered domestic abuse in the last five years is set out in the Crime Statistics published on 11 February 2016: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/crime-stats/crime-statistics/focus-on-violent-crime-and-sexual-offences--2014-to-2015/index.html.Since the 2004/05 Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW), the number of women aged 16 to 59 experiencing any domestic abuse in the last year has reduced from 1.71 million to 1.35 million (360,000 fewer victims and a fall of 21%) and the estimate of the number of women experiencing any domestic abuse in the last year is the lowest since the survey began.Latest data published by the Office for National Statistics from the 2014/15 CSEW additionally show that in 46% of cases of partner abuse, a child was present in the household, of which 20% of children saw or heard the abuse.Data on children referred to and assessed by local authority children's social services in England in 2014/15 show that there were 197,700 assessments where domestic violence was identified as a relevant factor. This data is only available for 2014/15.The Government works closely with charities, academics and statutory agencies to assess and address the impact of domestic abuse on children and wholly recognises the life changing impact domestic abuse can have on the lives of children. That is why we have expanded the Troubled Families Programme for a further five years (2015-2020) to work with an additional 400,000 families, including those affected by domestic abuse.To further address the impact of domestic abuse on victims and their children, we have introduced a new domestic abuse offence to tackle coercive and controlling behaviour, and in England and Wales we have rolled out Domestic Violence Protection Orders and the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme. Improvements have been made to the police response to domestic abuse, and we are supporting multi-agency working which takes a whole family approach.We will shortly publish a refreshed cross-Government Violence Against Women and Girls strategy setting out how we will do more still to support victims and their children. The Government has already announced £40 million of funding for domestic abuse services between 2016 and 2020, as well as a £2 million grant to Women’s Aid and Safelives to support early intervention programmes.

Customs

Mr David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many vessels (a) completed and (b) failed to complete the C1331 customs declaration form in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire: The table below outlines the number of completed C1331 customs declaration forms received by Border Force in each of the last 5 years. This data has been drawn from basic IT systems used for management information which are not subject to internal quality checks and may be subject to change. YearNumber of completed C1331 Forms received by Border Force2011 4082012 3312013 3992014 3912015 319 There are no records held that could adequately answer the question of how many vessels failed to complete the C1331 form.

HM Passport Office: Closures

Ian C. Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what public consultation there has been on the proposed closure of 15 HM Passport Office interview offices.

Karen Bradley: Under the planned changes to HM Passport Offices no customer will need to travel for more than either one and a half hours or 65 miles and the vast majority of passport application interviewees will see no change to their travel time. The decision to deliver greater value for money by reducing surplus capacity for interviews was clear, therefore public consultation on the changes was not applicable.

Asylum

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that companies with which the Government contracts to provide housing or other services for asylum seekers (a) treat such people with care and respect and (b) avoid measures which may make asylum seekers a target for hate crime.

James Brokenshire: The general principles section of the statement of requirements within the COMPASS contract is clear: asylum seekers need to be managed with sensitivity, treated in a polite and courteous manner and their safety and security is of absolute importance and must not be jeopardised.I have asked for, and received assurances from, all accommodation providers that there are no further policies or practices that allow asylum seekers to be identified as such by the public.

Home Office: Fringe Benefits

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff in her Department and non-departmental public bodies receive (a) home to work travel allowance, (b) a car allowance and (c) subsidised health insurance.

Karen Bradley: The Home Office does not pay a home to office travel allowance for staff to travel to their normal place of work. There is one employee of an Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) who is paid an allowance for home to work travel.Neither the Home Office nor its NDPBs pays any of its staff a car allowance.Neither the Home Office nor its NDPBs provides subsidised health insurance to any of its staff.

Cliff Richard

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information she holds on the progress made by South Yorkshire Police in its review of its handling of allegations made against Sir Cliff Richard in August 2014; and what discussions her Department has had with South Yorkshire Police on that review.

Mr John Hayes: Any investigation, or subsequent review of any investigation, is an operational matter for the relevant Chief Officer. The Department does not routinely discuss, or seek information, from the force concerned and is not aware of the review into the force’s handling of allegations made against Sir Cliff Richard referred to by the Rt. Hon. Member.

Aviation

Mr David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of general aviation flights that arrived in the UK (a) had correctly completed general aviation reports, (b) had incorrectly completed general aviation reports and (c) failed to complete a general aviation report in each of the last five years.

Karen Bradley: This information is not recorded in a reportable field on Home Office databases. Obtaining such information would therefore require a manual search of records and could only be achieved at a disproportionate cost.

Children: Deportation

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the correction of 9 February 2016 to Question 13206, (a) for what reasons the data initially published was incorrect, and (b) what steps her Department has taken to ensure accurate collection and publication of such information in future.

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the correction of 9 February 2016 to Question 13206, what the cause was of the error in information on former unaccompanied minors removed between 2007 and 31 December 2015; and what steps she is taking to ensure that correct information is collected and published in future.

James Brokenshire: The mistake given in the original response to Question 13206 resulted from two errors in the query for extracting information from the relevant database. One error involved the use of an incorrect definition which excluded former unaccompanied asylum seeking children who now had linked dependants. The other was an error in the computer code which extracted the data. In this instance, the code for the query was mistyped and so the data returned was incorrect. These errors have now been resolved and a correction issued. Such mistakes are rare and when they occur they are taken very seriously.It is regrettable that human error caused the original response to this Parliamentary Question to be incorrect and improvements have been put in place. The appropriate definition has been reviewed and confirmed. This definition, and the correct approach on careful coding, have been made clear to the officials involved. We are reviewing other Parliamentary Answers about unaccompanied asylum seeking children to see if these were affected by similar issues. While these respond to different specific questions, we wish to review the methodology used thoroughly. We are also reviewing whether additional processes are needed for Parliamentary Questions that require complex data queries.

Overseas Students

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of occasions on which universities have withdrawn offers from international students who have stayed in the country for up to 28 days under the visa grace period.

James Brokenshire: We do not hold information related to general offers by universities to individual international students. The offer is only formalised for Tier 4 purposes when a university generates a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). The number of CAS withdrawn from students who have overstayed by less than 28 days is not recorded by the department.All students wishing to extend their leave in the UK must submit a valid application for further leave to remain before their visa expires. Although the Immigration Rules allow students up to 28 days after the expiry of their leave to make an application, there is no grace period within which a student can lawfully overstay. All applications for further leave to remain will fall for refusal if a student has overstayed for more than 28 days, unless there were exceptional circumstances which prevented them from applying within the 28 day period.The number of CAS which universities have assigned to international students and then subsequently withdrawn before a decision is made by the Home Office, from 5 October 2009 to 30 September 2015, is 103,753.This figure includes applications made overseas and in the UK and includes withdrawals for a variety of reasons. We are unable to breakdown the numbers into specific reasons without exceeding proportionate costs.

Overseas Students

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect on universities of their financial liability for international students overstaying their visas.

James Brokenshire: There has been no assessment made as the Home Office currently places no direct financial penalties on sponsors whose students overstay their visa.Our system of sponsorship is based on two basic principles; those who benefit most directly from migration (including universities that bring in migrants) help to prevent the system being abused; and those applying to come to the UK to study are eligible to do so and a reputable education provider genuinely wishes to take them on. The ability to recruit international students is not an automatic right, but a privilege. It is right, therefore, that sponsors check that a student is genuine and that they intend to leave the UK, or switch into work route, once their visa has expired before offering them a place. Making sure that, at the end of their visa, students leave the UK at the end of their visa or remain here legally is just as important a part of running a fair and efficient immigration system as controlling who comes here in the first place.The Government has made clear our intention to use the introduction of exit checks to place more responsibility on sponsors for migrants who overstay. We are currently considering how to best deliver this commitment.

Shipping: Quarantine

Mr David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many vessels which displayed the yellow Q flag (a) docked at UK ports and (b) were checked by Border Force officials in each of the last five years.

Karen Bradley: No information is held on the number of vessels which fly the ‘Q’ flag. Border Force utilise an intelligence led approach in deciding which vessels to intercept.

Missing Persons

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to increase the number of missing people who are found.

Karen Bradley: The Government’s Missing Children and Adults Strategy for England and Wales provides a core framework for local areas to do more to prevent and protect children and vulnerable adults who go missing. We are currently undertaking a refresh of the strategy, to be published later this year. This will include an implementation plan to improve the overall response to missing people, including better use of the Child Rescue Alert (CRA) system, prevention (reducing the numbers who go missing) and improving the response to finding people who have gone missing or are at risk of doing so.

Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans the Government has to implement the EU Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.

Karen Bradley: We are committed to ending Violence Against Women and Girls. The previous Government signed the Istanbul Convention (the Council Of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence) and this Government remains committed to ratifying it but have made it clear that we will not do so until we are absolutely satisfied that we fully comply with all articles but amendments to domestic law, to take extra-territorial jurisdiction over a range of offences (as required by Article 44), are necessary before the Convention can be ratified.The Ministry of Justice is currently considering the approach to implementing the extra-territorial jurisdiction requirements in England and Wales and will seek to legislate when the approach is agreed and Parliamentary time allows. The Ministry of Justice will be consulting Ministers in the devolved administrations formally about whether legislative changes on extra-territorial jurisdiction in England and Wales should extend to Scotland and Northern Ireland.The Convention applies to the whole of the UK so any changes necessary to the criminal law in Scotland and Northern Ireland prior to ratification are matters for the devolved administrations.

Cedars Pre-departure Accommodation Facility

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions she has visited Cedars pre-departure accommodation.

Karen Bradley: The Home Secretary and Home Office Ministers conduct visits, and host meetings, on the whole spectrum of Home Office business regularly. As with the previous administration, it is our policy not to provide details of such visits.

Stowaways

Mr David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many undeclared passengers were identified by the Border Force in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire: For the purpose of this question Border Force have assumed that ‘undeclared passenger’ means any passenger travelling in any mode of transport whose movement has not been notified in the prescribed manner.Border Force does not collate records of ‘undeclared passengers’. But it works closely with aircraft operators, pilots and others to maximise the provision of Advance Passenger Information in all modes.

Ports: Immigration Controls

Mr David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she expects the Maritime Priority Assessment Tool to be fully implemented.

Karen Bradley: The Maritime Priority Assessment Tool was rolled out nationally on 29 December 2015.

HM Passport Office: Closures

Ian C. Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department plans to release the full business case for the recently-announced closure of 15 HM Passport Office interview offices.

Karen Bradley: There are no plans to release the business case for this decision.

HM Passport Office: Closures

Ian C. Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when a final decision was made to close 15 HM Passport Office interview offices; and what discussions her Department has had with staff representatives on those closures.

Karen Bradley: The decision regarding the changes to the passport application interview estate was taken on 21 December 2015.Affected staff, and their trade union representatives, were informed of this decision on 28 January 2016. This launched a formal period of consultation about the impact upon staff following the changes to the passport application interview estate. This consultation is ongoing.

Immigration Controls

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she expects to publish the results of her Department's assessment of exit checks data; and if she will make a statement.

Karen Bradley: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave the Hon Member for Morley and Outwood (Andrea Jenkyns) on 17 December 2015 to Question UIN: 19792.

Refugees: Children

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unaccompanied child refugees in Europe the Government expects to relocate in 2016.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Immigrants: Detainees

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the contribution of the Minister for Immigration in the public bill committee stage of the Immigration Bill on 1 December 2015, Official Report, column 206, what the terms of reference are of the detailed analysis of the purposes of immigration detention being conducted by her Department.

Karen Bradley: Alongside the response to the recommendations of the Shaw review, set out in a Written Ministerial Statement on 14 January 2016, Home Office Ministers are giving further consideration to the wider requirements of the immigration detention estate.The analysis referred to is regarded as internal policy advice, and the Home Office does not intend to release this piece of work.

Migration Advisory Committee

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason the Migration Advisory Committee did not provide its report by the end of January 2016.

James Brokenshire: The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) published its Tier 2 report on 19 January. We asked the MAC to provide its report on whether nurses should remain on the Shortage Occupation List in February, to allow time for a full review of the evidence.

Refugees: Children

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to update guidance on the implementation of the Dublin III Regulations to ensure that unaccompanied children in Calais and Dunkirk can be united swiftly with their family in the UK.

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to paragraph 24 of the Joint Ministerial Declaration on UK/French co-operation on managing migratory flows in Calais, published in August 2015, what progress has been made on the commitment to take stock of the operational effectiveness of the Dublin III Regulations.

Karen Bradley: The UK government supports the Dublin III principles and welcomes the swift processing of asylum claims made in Calais. For migrants to be processed under Dublin III they must first claim asylum in France. The UK government will consider any request made by the French asylum authorities under the Dublin Regulation to take responsibility for an asylum applicant in France because they have close family in the UK.To ensure that the provisions of the Dublin Regulation are used efficiently and effectively in both countries, a joint contact group has been established in line with the commitment in the Joint Declaration. The UK has held regular discussions with French Interior Ministry colleagues, including visits to Calais and Dunkirk to examine the processes and the information made available to migrants.

Home Office: Freedom of Information

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many freedom of information requests were (a) granted and (b) refused by her Department in each of the last five years.

Karen Bradley: The Ministry of Justice publishes annual statistical reports on the handling of requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for central government. These reports include statistics on the numbers of requests granted in full and those where information was partially or fully withheld. These reports can be accessed on the following webpage: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics.

Asylum: EU Law

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been transferred from the UK to other EU countries under the Dublin III Regulation (a) in total and (b) for the purposes of family reunification in the last 12 months.

Karen Bradley: An answer is still being prepared. We are currently extracting the data and need to ensure it is correctly quality checked to give the Hon. Member an accurate response and I will write to the honourable Member when it is finished.

Asylum: EU Law

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many requests for the transfer of an asylum application from other EU countries the UK has (a) received and (b) accepted in the last 12 months.

Karen Bradley: An answer is still being prepared. We are currently extracting the data and need to ensure it is correctly quality checked to give the Hon. Member an accurate response and I will write to the honourable Member when it is finished.

Asylum: EU Law

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been transferred from the UK to (a) Italy, (b) Hungary, (c) Croatia, (d) France, (e) Belgium, (f) Austria and (g) Germany under the Dublin III Regulation in the last 12 months.

Karen Bradley: An answer is still being prepared. We are currently extracting the data and need to ensure it is correctly quality checked to give the Hon. Member an accurate response and I will write to the honourable Member when it is finished.

Vetting

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2016 to Question 25396, if she will place in the Library the recovery plan in place at the Metropolitan Police Service for improving performance in completing Disclosure and Barring Service checks.

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2016 to Question 25396, if she will place in the Library a copy of the formal monthly performance reports provided by the Disclosure and Barring Service in each of the last six months.

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2016 to Question 25396, if she will publish data from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) on the performance of police forces against the service level agreement standards for the time taken to complete local DBS checks over the last six months.

Karen Bradley: The operational performance plans of police disclosure units are matters for Chief Constables in association with Police and Crime Commissioners.The DBS regularly publishes detailed datasets showing statistics against internal performance standards which form the basis of its monthly reports to the Home Office. This includes performance against their target to issue 95% of all disclosures within 56 days and the number of disclosure applications in progress each month. This can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/dbs-dataset-1-disclosure-progress-information-disclosed-and-update-service-subscriptions.DBS also publishes datasets showing statistics against service level agreements with police forces. These apply to the performance of police disclosure units and can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/dbs-dataset-5-police-disclosure-unit-performance.

Radicalism

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications of the reference to a number of protected characteristics in paragraph seven of the Government's Counter-Extremism Strategy, Cm 9148, for the effect of the Equality Act 2010 on all the protected characteristics it includes.

Karen Bradley: The Government is required to impact assess its policies against the protected characteristics as set out in the Equality Act 2010. I am satisfied that the Counter-Extremism Strategy demonstrates compliance, where relevant, with Section 149 of the Equality Act and that due regard has been made to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations.The Counter-Extremism Strategy aims to tackle extremism in all its forms and reduce the harm it causes, iIncluding harms such as discrimination, harassment and victimisation. To tackle these harms the strategy focuses on four areas:• Countering extremist ideology;• Building partnerships;• Disrupting extremists; and• Building more cohesive communities.

Passports

Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to notify groups and organisations who may be affected by the potential closure of the Collective Passport Service.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Reoffenders

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department has spent on reducing reoffending in each of the last three years.

Mike Penning: The Home Office makes an important contribution to the Government’s commitment to reduce re-offending to cut crime and make our streets safer. Integrated Offender Management provides a framework for the police working with other agencies to prevent some of the most prolific and problematic offenders from committing further crime.Operational policing matters are the responsibility of Chief Constables in conjunction with their Police and Crime Commissioners. The Home Office does not, however, provide specific funding for this, over and above overall central Government funding provided to the police.

Broken Rainbow LGBT Domestic Violence Service

Stewart Malcolm McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the charity Broken Rainbow on renewing funding from her Department; and if she will make a statement.

Karen Bradley: Holding answer received on 22 February 2016



The Government is committed to tackling domestic violence and abuse. Broken Rainbow plays an important role in supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender victims of domestic abuse, and the Home Office provided £120,000 to support the Broken Rainbow helpline for the 2015/16 financial year.We are carefully considering ongoing funding of national helplines, in close consultation with helpline providers, and decisions on renewing funding will be announced shortly.

Passports

Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to close the Collective Passport Service by the end of February 2016; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Passports

Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of the proposed closure of the Collective Passport Office on the costs of obtaining passports for (a) school groups and (b) families.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Passports

Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the final decision was made to close the Collective Passport Service; and what discussions her Department has had with staff representatives on that closure.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Police: Cameras

Mr Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers wear body-worn cameras in (a) Northamptonshire and (b) England.

Mike Penning: We know that the majority of forces in England and Wales use Body Worn Video (BWV) to some extent.However the deployment of BWV is an operational decision for chief officers and the Home Office does not hold information on how many officers are equipped with BWV

Vetting

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of making Disclosure and Barring Service certificates portable and valid from organisation to organisation by the person concerned.

Karen Bradley: The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) offers an Update Service which can deliver savings in both time and costs. With the certificate holder’s permission, a potential employer or another person with a legitimate interest can check via a DBS online portal whether any new information has been recorded since the certificate was issued. Only if there has been a change is there any need for the individual to obtain a new certificate. This enables portability of certificates between organisations. It is only applicable where the certificate holder is moving within the same workforce – such as work with children or work with vulnerable adults. Where the person is moving between workforces a new certificate will be required, as there may be different factors affecting decisions about whether information is appropriate for disclosure.

Police: Complaints

Mr David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to reform the police complaints process.

Mike Penning: Complaints made against the police must be responded to in a way that builds public confidence, and allows lessons to be learned.The Policing and Crime Bill will reform the complaints system so that the handling of police complaints is customer focused and that cases are dealt with quickly and effectively, not just for the benefits of the public, but also for officers who have done nothing wrong.

Vetting

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the timeliness of the processing of Disclosure and Barring Service checks.

Karen Bradley: The average processing time for disclosure applications is 15.3 days and 94.3% of applications are issued within 8 weeks, as of December 2015. Some Enhanced Certificate applications are referred to relevant police forces. DBS is working closely with the small number of forces whose performance does not meet turnaround targets.

Emergency Services

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Government's policy is on steps to increase cooperation between police forces and fire services.

Mike Penning: The Government is committed to supporting the police and fire services to work more closely together. The Policing and Crime Bill includes a duty to collaborate and enables Police and Crime Commissioners to make the case to take on responsibility for fire and rescue locally, extending the benefits of directly elected, accountable leadership and driving collaboration.

Terrorism: Greater London

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support the Metropolitan Police in tackling terrorism in London.

Mr John Hayes: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Police: Finance

Kate Hollern: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the police on the police grant settlement.

Mike Penning: The Home Secretary has regular meetings with policing partners on a range of issues, including police funding. The Government published the Final Police Grant Report for 2016/17 on 4 February following the usual public consultation. The Final Police Grant Report was approved by the House on 10 February. This represents a good settlement for policing.

HM Treasury

Overseas Aid: Malawi

Richard  Arkless: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent representations he has received on the implications for aid of the 1955 tax treaty between the UK and Malawi.

Mr David Gauke: No such representations have been received. Discussions with Malawi over a new tax treaty have already taken place. We are hopeful the new treaty can be concluded shortly.

Child Benefit: EU Nationals

Philip Davies: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the cost was of paying child benefit to EU nationals in each of the last five years.

Damian Hinds: The information is not available.

Child Benefit: EU Nationals

Philip Davies: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the annual cost of paying child benefit to EU nationals under the terms of the renegotiation proposed by the EU Council President.

Damian Hinds: The information is not available.

Social Security Benefits: EEA Nationals

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Prime Minister's Answer of 9 February 2016 to Question 25906, if he will place in the Library a copy of the analysis carried out by the Department for Work and Pensions and HM Revenue and Customs on benefit and tax credit claims by recently arrived EEA migrants.

Damian Hinds: On 10th November 2015, DWP published an ad-hoc statistical release that provides the background to DWP’s figures regarding recently arrived EEA nationals’ claims to benefits. This can be found here – https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-benefit-and-tax-credit-claims-by-recently-arrived-eea-migrants The background to the figures on tax credits claimed by recently arrived EEA nationals can be found here – https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tax-credit-statistics-on-eea-nationals

Welfare Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax credit claimants in work reported income rises of (a) more than £2,500, (b) more than £2,500 but less than £5,000 and (c) more than £5,000 in the most recent 12 months for which data is available.

Damian Hinds: As announced in the combined Autumn Statement and Spending Review, the amount by which a tax credit claimant's income can increase within the year before their tax credit award is adjusted (the income rise disregard), will be reduced from £5,000 to £2,500. This makes the tax credit system fairer so claimants on similar incomes will receive similar awards. Currently two families on precisely the same earnings at the end of the year can receive significantly different awards. A tax credit award will only be adjusted in response to a claimant earning more money. Next year there are expected to be 800,000 claimants whose income will increase by more than £2500 and who as a result will see an adjustment in their tax credit payment. None will be cash losers because their income will have increased. The change returns the disregard back to the level it was between 2003 and 2006 - something the tax credit system is now operationally better able to cope with now that it has more up to date information on people's earnings through Real Time Information. HMRC are also making it easier to report changes quickly online, so that people will less often receive overpayments. Claimants can contact HMRC if they are suffering financial hardship and are having difficulty paying back an overpayment. The change will bring forward some of the benefits of Universal Credit so that the tax credit award reflects a claimant's recent earnings and the system responds more quickly to changes in earnings.

Mortgages

Hilary Benn: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2016 to Question 23906, if the Government will make it its policy to provide formal advice to banks or building societies offering second charge mortgages in territories outside the UK which are illegal under international law on potential financial risks of such products.

Harriett Baldwin: The Government has no plans to provide formal advice to banks or building societies offering second charge mortgages in territories outside the UK.

Average Earnings

Stephen Timms: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the change in average annual earnings in each year to 2020.

Harriett Baldwin: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has adopted the independent Office for Budget Responsibility’s economic and fiscal forecasts as the UK’s official forecasts since the Office’s creation in 2010. Information about the estimates used by the OBR in their forecasts can be found in the OBR’s ‘Economic and fiscal outlook’.

Revenue and Customs: Procurement

Chris Stephens: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assurances HM Revenue and Customs obtains from its potential contractors and suppliers on the level of their compliance with UK tax obligations.

Mr David Gauke: Prior to engagement, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) require a new contractor or supplier to provide their tax details, and to agree to HMRC performing revenue compliance checks throughout the procurement process, using information from its own records and taking appropriate action where required in line with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Contracts for such engagements include clauses requiring that at all times the contractor or supplier shall comply with all statutes and regulations relating to direct or indirect taxes, and that failure to comply may constitute a material breach of the contract.

Investment Income: Taxation

David Warburton: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has conducted an impact assessment of (a) the proposed changes to the dividend tax system and (b) other measures in the Finance Bill 2016 on lower-earning micro-business owners.

Mr David Gauke: At the Summer Budget 2015 the Chancellor announced that the dividend tax credit will be replaced by a new £5,000 tax-free dividend allowance from April 2016. A Tax Information and Impact Note setting out expected impacts was published on 9 December on GOV.UK. Impact assessments have been produced for all measures in the Finance Bill 2016.

Credit Cards: Debts

Jim Shannon: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of people who accumulate credit card debt after the Christmas period.

Harriett Baldwin: HM Treasury does not hold information on the number of people who accumulate credit card debt. Publically available information on consumer credit, including credit card debt, is available up to Q4 2015 from the Bank of England. The most recent statistical release can be accessed at: http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/statistics/Pages/bankstats/2015/dec.aspx

Charities: Islam

Shabana Mahmood: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government has had discussions with Muslim charities on a possible restriction of banking facilities for such charities.

Harriett Baldwin: There are no general restrictions on providing banking facilities for Muslim groups. Ministers and officials hold discussions with a wide variety of organisations in the public, private and third sectors. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on Treasury departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

VAT

John Redwood: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was raised from VAT on (a) air source heat pumps, (b) solar panels, (c) draught shipping, (d) insulation, (e) wood fuel boilers and (f) ground source heat pumps in each of the last five years.

Mr David Gauke: This level of detail is not requested on VAT returns and therefore data is not available on how much VAT was raised on (a) air source heat pumps, (b) solar panels, (c) draught shipping, (d) insulation, (e) wood fuel boilers and (f) ground source heat pumps in each of the last five years.

VAT

John Redwood: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was raised from VAT on (a) renovating empty buildings, (b) building conversions, (c) children's car seats, (d) carry cots and (e) mobility aids for the elderly in each of the last five years.

Mr David Gauke: This level of detail is not requested on VAT returns and therefore data is not available on how much VAT was raised on (a) renovating empty buildings, (b) building conversions, (c) children’s car seats, (d) carry cots and (e) mobility aids for the elderly in each of the last five years.

Stamp Duty Land Tax: Second Homes

Steve McCabe: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will exempt people from the extra three per cent stamp duty charge on second properties who have moved home because of flooding and are unable to sell their primary home within the 18 month eligibility period for a refund.

Mr David Gauke: The Government has consulted on the changes to ensure they are introduced in a fair way, and is now carefully analysing the consultation responses received. The final policy design will be confirmed at the Budget on 16 March 2016, before the new rules come into effect on 1 April this year.

Public Finance: Scotland

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the oral evidence by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to the Scottish Affairs Committee on 3 February 2016, Question 173, what steps he is taking to ensure that proposals for the revised fiscal framework with Scotland will be subject to parliamentary scrutiny.

Greg Hands: I welcome the scrutiny which the Fiscal Framework has received so far. While the exact nature of further framework scrutiny will depend on its final content and format, it is my current intention to deposit the final document detailing the agreement in the House libraries as soon as possible once an agreement is reached, make a statement to the House as soon as possible after an agreement is reached, and to set out what it means for the UK and for Scotland and to make annual reports to Parliament on the operation of the Framework. Elements of the Fiscal Framework may require legislative change. Where this is the case the appropriate legislative procedure will be followed and the Government hopes these changes will receive thorough scrutiny in Parliament. Once the Fiscal Framework is agreed, the Government would welcome further scrutiny from Parliamentary Committees in both Houses.

Climate Change Levy: Greater London

Sadiq Khan: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the climate change levy raised from non-domestic users in London in each year since 2010.

Damian Hinds: The climate change levy is collected on a national basis from energy suppliers and it is not possible to break down receipts by region. Detail on Climate Change Levy receipts on a national basis can be found at https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/Pages/TaxAndDutyBulletins.aspx.

Department for Energy and Climate Change

Wind Power

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate she has made of the amount of wind energy that will be generated in each of the next five years.

Andrea Leadsom: The table below sets out total estimated wind energy generation to the nearest terawatt hour, from 2015/16 to 2020/21. These estimates include both onshore and offshore wind generation and are consistent with LCF spend projections published in November 2015 and updated renewable capacity projections, published alongside updates to the Feed in Tariff Scheme in December 2015. Generation (TWh)2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202020/21Total Wind364453606671 Source: http://cdn.budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/EFO_November__2015.pdfBreakdown of LCF spend projections up to 2020 is set out in fiscal supplementary table 2.7 at http://cdn.budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/Fiscal__Supplementary__Tables_November__2015.xls;Updated renewable capacity projections https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/486285/20151217_Estimated_capacity_by_technology_2020-21.pdf; FiTs projections https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-a-review-of-the-feed-in-tariff-schemev

Fuel Poverty

Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what progress is being made on introducing data sharing arrangements between the Valuation Office Agency and the Department for Work and Pensions that would allow the up-front identification of fuel poor households; and whether she plans that those arrangements will be introduced in 2017 in time to support the new energy efficiency obligation announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.

Andrea Leadsom: We intend to consult this year on the future design of the Energy Company Obligation, including the use of Government data to help identify fuel poor households in greatest need of support. The Government is considering how access to data, including that held by the Valuation Office Agency, could be improved for the purposes of providing assistance to fuel poor households.

Housing: Energy

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent steps she has taken to improve the energy efficiency of small to mid-size properties.

Andrea Leadsom: We are helping households to improve the energy efficiency of properties of all sizes through policies such as the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), which has already improved over 1.35 million properties. A reformed supplier obligation from April 2017 will upgrade the energy efficiency of well over 200,000 homes per year. Our Private Rented Sector Energy Efficiency Regulations made law from March 2015, will help up to 1 million domestic tenants in the private rented sector. This is expected to grow over time as people move from property to property.

Housing: Energy

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department is taking to assist people living in low-income households to improve energy-inefficient properties.

Andrea Leadsom: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Energy: Cumbria

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the number of jobs that will be created by the construction phase of (a) the new nuclear build at Moorside and (b) Solway Firth Tidal Lagoon project in West Cumbria.

Andrea Leadsom: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Energy: Cumbria

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the number of jobs that will be created by the running and maintaining of (a) new nuclear build at Moorside and (b) Solway Firth Tidal Lagoon project in West Cumbria.

Andrea Leadsom: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme: Solar Power

Matthew Pennycook: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what plans she has to support solar thermal systems in the domestic and non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive.

Andrea Leadsom: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Energy: Employment

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many jobs are expected to be created in (a) the supply chain and (b) other areas as an indirect result of (i) new nuclear builds in Moorside and (ii) Solway Firth Tidal Lagoon project, West Cumbria.

Andrea Leadsom: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Tidal Power: Solway Firth

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many meetings her Department has had with representatives of Tidal Power Ltd on the proposed Solway Firth Tidal Lagoon project.

Andrea Leadsom: The Government is currently in a bilateral negotiation with Tidal Lagoon Power Ltd regarding a possible Contract for Difference for their proposed project in Swansea Bay and there have been numerous meetings with the developer to discuss this project.

Cabinet Office

Cabinet Papers

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent communications his Department has had with the National Archives on the release of Cabinet papers dated between 1986 and 1988.

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on how many occasions he has met with National Archive officials to discuss the release of Cabinet Office papers for the 1986 to 1988 period.

Matthew Hancock: The Cabinet Office has regular ongoing communications with the National Archives.The Minister for the Cabinet Office met National Archive officials to discuss the release of Cabinet Office papers for the 1986 to 1988 period on two occasions.

Infrastructure: Iron and Steel

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what incentives are in place to encourage major infrastructure projects to use steel manufactured in the UK.

Matthew Hancock: The Cabinet Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Government Departments: Industrial Disputes

Chris Stephens: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many days' work were lost to industrial action taken by employees of the Government and its agencies in each year since 2010.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA Letter to Member - Industrial Action Days Off
(PDF Document, 112.47 KB)

Government Digital Service: Procurement

Chris Stephens: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assurances the Government Digital Service obtains from potential contractors and suppliers on the level of their compliance with UK tax obligations.

Matthew Hancock: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 16 February 2016 to UIN: 26226.

Integrated Debt Services

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January 2016 to Question 21746, what estimate he has made of the value of Integrated Debt Services Limited; and how much the private sector partner paid to purchase their 75 per cent stake in Indresser.

Matthew Hancock: The value of Integrated Debt Services Limited and the amount that the private sector partner subscribed for their 75% stake in Indesser are both considered to be commercially sensitive and cannot be shared.

Companies: Ownership

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Government plans to start the consultation on introducing legislative change to require transparency of the beneficial ownership of all UK properties.

Matthew Hancock: Further to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member in November to UIN 17111, I can confirm that a consultation will be launched shortly.

Voluntary Work: Young People

Liam Byrne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2016 to Question 23331, what the average cost for each participant of the National Citizen Service has been in each year of its operation.

Mr Rob Wilson: The Cabinet Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Government Departments: Procurement

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether a standard disclosure clause is included in Government procurement contracts.

Matthew Hancock: A standard disclosure clause is included in Government procurement contracts. This information is publicly available on www.gov.uk.

Government Departments: Procurement

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the procedures set out in the procurement policy note, Measures to promote tax compliance published in February 2014.

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many firms have been excluded from bidding for Government contracts since the introduction of the procurement policy note, Measures to promote tax compliance published in February 2014.

Matthew Hancock: These new measures on tax compliance, introduced in 2013, enable government departments to exercise their power to exclude firms bidding for government contracts where they have been non-compliant in meeting their legal tax obligations.The policy is compatible with the existing procurement process and is being updated to clarify the use of mandatory and discretionary exclusion criteria, contained in the new Public Contracts Regulations 2015, concerning tax compliance.

Cabinet Office: Freedom of Information

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many freedom of information requests were (a) granted and (b) refused by his Department in each of the last five years.

Matthew Hancock: This information is publicly available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics

Charities: Grants

Mr Clive Betts: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which charities have used government grants to pay for campaigns in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16 to date; what the nature of each such campaign was; what estimate he has made of the amount of government funding used for each such campaign; and which such charities have been asked to repay part of their grant on the grounds that such expenditure was outwith the terms and conditions of that grant.

Matthew Hancock: The information requested is not held centrally.

Data Steering Group

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2016 to Question 26056, when the Data Steering Group last met; who attended that meeting; and if he will publish the (a) minutes of that meeting and (b) programme of work of that group.

Matthew Hancock: This information is in the public domain and available at www.gov.uk.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Wind Power: Seas and Oceans

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will commission a study into the effect on bird and marine life of off-shore windfarms; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice: The Planning Inspectorate is responsible for examining development consent applications for nationally significant infrastructure projects, including offshore renewable energy installations over 100MW in English and Welsh waters and their adjacent offshore waters, and then making a recommendation to the Secretary of State at Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) for the final decision.As part of the planning process, the environmental impacts of offshore renewable energy installations are considered through the requirement to undertake project level Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Habitats Regulations Assessments (HRAs). In order to improve the evidence on the extent of the environmental impacts of offshore renewable energy installations, the Offshore Renewables Joint Industry Programme (ORJIP) was initiated by DECC, Marine Scotland and The Crown Estate. ORJIP includes a longer-term project to improve empirical evidence on the impacts of offshore renewables on marine species, such as birds and marine mammals. Further information is available at http://www.carbontrust.com/client-services/technology/innovation/offshore-renewables-joint-industry-programme-orjip/.

Whales: East of England

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to ascertain the reason for a large number of whales becoming stranded on the east coast of the UK in 2016; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice: Mass stranding events of whales are rare and ascertaining what causes them can be difficult. This is why Defra, in conjunction with the Devolved Administrations of Scotland and Wales, funds the UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP). Although it is still too early to draw any conclusions on what may have caused the recent mass strandings of sperm whales in the North Sea, the CSIP will be working with stranding networks in Germany and the Netherlands over the coming months to try to identify the potential cause.

Wind Power: Seas and Oceans

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the effects of offshore windfarms on the national habitats of migrating whales, seals and porpoises.

George Eustice: The Joint Cetacean Protocol (JCP) is the most comprehensive information source available on whales and porpoises in the UK. Information from the JCP is used to inform assessments of the effects of offshore windfarms on marine mammals. The information was also used to help assess the status of marine mammals as set out in the UK’s Marine Strategy Part One in 2012.The assessment brought together a significant body of information on the distribution, abundance, trends, and status of whales, porpoises, and seals in UK waters, and a consideration of the pressures they face, including from renewable energy development. The Marine Strategy Part One concluded that the status for the five most abundant cetacean species in UK waters was ‘favourable’. Seals face a number of pressures in the UK, although where localised declines have been identified these have not been attributed to offshore wind farms. Further information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/marine-strategy-part-one-uk-initial-assessment-and-good-environmental-status.

Clean Growth Ministerial Group

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on how many occasions the Clean Growth Committee has met to discuss air quality to date; and who attended each such meeting.

Rory Stewart: The inter-ministerial group on Clean Growth meets as and when required and its members include ministers and officials from the relevant departments, including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Department for Transport and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Environment Protection: EU Law

Gavin Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will provide an estimate of the number of environmental laws, derived from the EU, that are (a) ignored and (b) unused by the devolved administrations.

Rory Stewart: Environmental law is an area of devolved competence. Transposition and implementation of EU environmental law therefore rests with the devolved administrations. The obligation to transpose and implement EU environmental law applies across the whole of the UK.

Food: Labelling

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of a British exit from the EU on the international legal enforceability of protected UK food names.

George Eustice: We have not made an assessment of the potential effect of a British exit from the EU on the international legal enforceability of protected UK food names.Separately, the Government is taking steps to achieve a significant increase in the number of UK food products covered by the EU’s protected food names scheme. We continue to exert pressure on the European Commission to secure wider international recognition of these products, as well as our wines and spirits drinks that are protected by Geographical Indications, in the context of EU bilateral trade negotiations.

Flood Control: Per Capita Costs

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8 February 2016 to Question 25811, if she will list the (a) total funding, (b) total population and (c) funding per person for the (i) North and (ii) East region.

Rory Stewart: The Environment Agency has a management structure based on three regions; North and East; West; and South East, with Operations Directors overseeing each one of the three.The Table below shows the population per Environment Agency Area. The data has been sourced from the Office for National Statistics from the 2011 Census for England and Wales. The data has been downloaded at local authority level and the Environment Agency (public facing) Area boundaries have been used to select those local authorities within each of the Area boundaries. The figures for the selected local authorities in each Area have been added up to produce a population total for each Area. The total for each Area has been rounded to the nearest 100,000 and these rounded figures have been added together to provide the regional totals.6 year programme capital figures split by region (2015/16 - 2020/21)Total 6-Year GiATotal PopulationTotal GiA per personEA Region£mNo.£North and East789.414,700,00053.7West312.115,700,00019.9South East970.422,900,0042.4National273.2  Total2345.153,300,00044To note – 1 local authority district 'Central Bedfordshire' falls within multiple Environment Agency areas - Hertfordshire & North London and Cambridgeshire & Bedfordshire, so based on the approximate visual area, 40% of the population has been placed in Hertfordshire & North London Area and 60% in Cambridgeshire & Bedfordshire.

Recycling: Christchurch

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2016 to Question 26276, on recycling in Christchurch, if she will place in the Library a copy of the assessment including the cost-benefit analysis.

Rory Stewart: Repair and recovery grants were approved by the Executive Director of Operations on the advice of Environment Agency’s Large Project Review Group (LPRG) and its sub group LPRG Lite, which assessed the eligibility of schemes for recovery projects across the country. The approval for each recovery project undertaken by the Environment Agency followed a national procedure set out in an operational instruction which I have placed in the House Library. Additionally I have placed a copy of the Christchurch Beach Replenishment Scheme Asset Repair Planning Brief setting out the case for the work to take place under the recovery programme.

Department of Health

Blood: Contamination

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will maintain the policy that payments made by Alliance House in relation to infected blood are disregarded for the purpose of tax or benefit assessments once the reformed system of payments is introduced.

Jane Ellison: As under the existing schemes, the current consultation on reform of the schemes proposes that any future payments would be in addition to any other source of income an individual may receive, and disregarded for the purposes of calculating income tax and eligibility for calculating other state benefits.

NHS: Negligence

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 16 November 2015 to Question 16435, when his Department expects to publish the Impact Assessment on changes to reduce costs in medical negligence mitigation.

Ben Gummer: The Department will publish the impact assessment alongside the consultation document on introducing fixed recoverable costs in clinical negligence claims.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the average patient waiting times for A&E departments at hospital sites that have introduced a (a) co-located urgent care centre and (b) model that integrates primary care staff within the A&E department in the last 12 months.

Jane Ellison: The location and structure of urgent and emergency care services is a matter for local commissioners, taking account of guidance issued by NHS England. This guidance includes Safer, faster better: good practice in delivering urgent and emergency care, which was published in August 2015, to support frontline providers and commissioners in re-designing urgent and emergency care services.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of the closure of walk-in centres on patient waiting times in local A&E departments.

Jane Ellison: Decisions about the provision of urgent care centres, including walk-in centres and minor injuries units, are a matter for local commissioners.

Agency Nurses

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 8 February 2016 to Question 25816, what the ceiling trajectory on agency spend is as a proportion of expenditure on nursing staff for all NHS trusts in England.

Alistair Burt: The information requested is not currently available centrally. It could only be obtained from Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority at a disproportionate cost.

HIV Infection: Health Services

Mr Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many HIV support services are planned to be affected by changes in funding from April 2016; and how many people used each of those services in the last 12 months.

Jane Ellison: Decisions on funding and access to social care support services for people with HIV are made by local authorities. The Care Act 2014 sets out the legal framework for social care in England, and this applies to all adults with support needs including those living with HIV.

Autism: Diagnosis

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to improve the current waiting time after referral for a diagnostic assessment for autism.

Alistair Burt: The Department has discussed with NHS England the difficulties that some people on the autistic spectrum can have in getting an appropriate diagnosis and support in a timely manner. NHS England has commenced a programme to visit clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to identify and share good practice in accessing timely autism diagnosis. NHS England with support from the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services is to visit a selection of areas to talk to CCGs and local authorities about their Autism Diagnostic Care Pathways and post diagnostic support. A report on the work will be completed by the end of April 2016.

Health Services: Children

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what account his Department has requested be taken of children who have specific needs arising from dual diagnosis of physical and mental health conditions in the thematic analysis of the local transformation plans commissioned by his Department.

Alistair Burt: NHS England has commissioned a number of thematic reviews as part of the analysis of the Local Transformation Plans. The aim is to understand how local areas are approaching the transformation process and where possible identify interesting local approaches that could inform future service planning and design to address the needs of all of the local population including those with dual diagnosis of physical and mental health. One of these thematic reviews focuses on the needs of vulnerable groups of children and young people, such as looked after children, care leavers and those in contact with the justice system. This could also include children and young people with complex needs such as those with long term physical health issues if local areas have identified this group as a priority for action.

Mental Health Services

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Care Quality of 9 February 2016, on party of esteem in the NHS constitution, Official Report, column 1430, if he will add the right to psychological therapies to the constitution.

Alistair Burt: The NHS Constitution right to drugs and treatments reflects the legal funding requirement that applies to interventions recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisal guidance. NICE has not been asked to undertake a technical appraisal of psychological therapies. If in the future, psychological therapies are recommended by NICE, and are consequently mandated for use in the National Health Service, we will consider consulting on including a right to psychological therapies within the Constitution. Over the last spending review we invested over £400 million into the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme to ensure access to talking therapies for those who need them and this has contributed to achieving very real improvements in the lives of people with anxiety and depression.

Mental Health Services

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to implement the recommendations for Government of the report, entitled Old Problems, New Solutions: Improving acute psychiatric care for adults in England, published on 9 January 2016.

Alistair Burt: We are currently considering the report’s recommendations and work is already underway to address the issues it raises. The draft Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) improvement and assessment framework will require CCGs to monitor and reduce out of area treatments, with reductions from 2016/17. Additionally, NHS England is planning a significant programme on acute care in 2016/17 for both in-patient and home treatment.

Mental Health Services

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that mental health trusts pass information on outpatients in their care to local (a) housing trusts and (b) community police officers where appropriate.

Alistair Burt: It is already standard practice for health professionals to share information, in line with the Data Protection Act 1998, with other agencies to deliver preventative interventions, or where there is concern about the risk of serious harm to either the individual concerned or a third party. One of the core objectives of the National Informatics Board is to support all National Health Service organisations move away from paper based information to sharing data electronically. NHS England’s work on developing a fully interoperable and paperless NHS includes a key focus on mental health and crisis care.

Mental Health Services: Out of Area Treatment

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to publish data on out-of-area acute psychiatric care placements.

Alistair Burt: Experimental data on non-specialist out of area treatments for inpatients has been published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) since July 2015. Non specialist includes acute, older adult, psychiatric intensive care and rehabilitation treatment. There will be a gap in publication of this data from March 2016 whilst a new dataset is being introduced by HSCIC which will include data on out of area treatments.

Caffeine: Children

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what data his Department collects on sales of highly caffeinated drinks to children.

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will take steps to reduce sales of highly caffeinated drinks to children.

Jane Ellison: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has advised us that the safety of caffeine has been reviewed by the European Food Safety Authority, which specified a level of caffeine for children and adolescents which does not raise safety concerns. For a 10-year-old child this is equivalent to the amount of caffeine in one 250 ml can of high caffeine drink. The FSA does not collect data on the sale of high caffeine drinks and has no plans to restrict the sale of these drinks to children. However, the FSA advises that children and other people who are sensitive to caffeine should consume caffeine only in moderation. High caffeine drinks must be labelled with an advisory statement that they are not recommended for children.

Multiple Sclerosis: Drugs

Nick Thomas-Symonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he intends to make a decision on the closure of the Risk Sharing Scheme; and what provisions his Department plans to put in place for people who are currently accessing drugs via that Scheme.

George Freeman: The Department is currently discussing with key stakeholders the arrangements for formally bringing the Multiple Sclerosis Risk Sharing Scheme to an end. Patients currently receiving drugs as part of the Scheme will continue to do so for as long as this is clinically appropriate for them.

Carers: Children and Young People

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2016 to Question 20189, what steps he plans to take to ensure that the thematic review and future monitoring of the Future in Mind policy address the needs of young carers to have more support for their mental health.

Alistair Burt: The purpose of the thematic review is to provide a qualitative assessment of how the Local Transformation Plans (LTPs), covering every clinical commissioning group (CCG), align with the Future in Mind principles to improve children and young people’s mental health, including the needs of young carers. It also aims to, where possible, identify local approaches that could inform future service planning and design in other areas to further improve children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing. As set out in NHS England’s guidance to support the development of LTPs an integral part was for CCGs to include a tracking template that sets out local progress milestones and financial spend. This tracker will be used as the basis for assurance assessment in 2015/16, and from 2016/17 onwards progress on local transformation will become part of the mainstream planning assurance process to ensure the successful delivery of the transformation of children and young people’s mental health.

Warrington Hospital

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many ambulances waited more than 30 minutes to transfer patients to Warrington Hospital in each year since 2010.

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the reasons for activation of the full capacity protocol at Warrington Hospital's A&E department in 2015-16; and what effect (a) inability to access GP appointments and (b) reductions in the availability of social care had on the decision to activate that protocol in each such case.

Jane Ellison: It is for the local National Health Service to manage accident and emergency services to ensure access to high quality, safe services for their local populations. We are making additional resources available to the NHS to deal with increased demand, by backing the NHS Five Year Forward View with £10 billion a year real terms additional funding by 2020-21, compared to 2014-15, with £3.8 billion real terms growth in 2016-17. Information on ambulance handovers delayed over 30 minutes was published by NHS England in winter daily situation reports each weekday during winter from 2010-11 to 2014-15. Such information is not being published by the NHS in winter daily situation reports for 2015-16. The data can be found using the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/winter-daily-sitreps/

Pharmacy

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect on patient access to medicines of planned reductions to the community pharmacy budget.

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) pharmacy closures and (b) job losses caused by planned reductions to the community pharmacy budget.

Alistair Burt: Community pharmacy is a vital part of the National Health Service and can play an even greater role. In the Spending Review the Government re-affirmed the need for the NHS to deliver £22 billion in efficiency savings by 2020/21 as set out in the NHS’s own plan, the Five Year Forward View. Community pharmacy is a core part of NHS primary care and has an important contribution to make as the NHS rises to these challenges. The Government believes efficiencies can be made without compromising the quality of services including public access to medicines. Our aim is to ensure that those community pharmacies upon which people depend continue to thrive and so we are consulting on the introduction of a Pharmacy Access Scheme, which will provide more NHS funds to certain pharmacies compared to others, considering factors such as location and the health needs of the local population. Our proposals are about improving services for patients and the public and securing efficiencies and savings. A consequence may be the closure of some pharmacies but that is not our aim. We are not able to assess which pharmacies may close or the number of people who may lose their jobs, because we do not know the financial viability of individual businesses or the extent to which they derive income from services commissioned locally by the NHS or local authorities or have non-NHS related income.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Children

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his assessment is of the availability and adequacy of mental health services available to children in England with OCD.

Alistair Burt: The Government has made no such assessment. It is for local areas to consider and commission services based on the needs of their local population. Local transformation plans produced in each area of the country set out how they plan to meet the full spectrum of needs of children and young people with mental health problems including those with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Health Services and Social Services

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to his speech to the Local Government Association annual conference in July 2015, what progress has been made on the development and publication of unified health and social care metrics.

Alistair Burt: Officials at the Department of Health have been working with the Department for Communities and Local Government, NHS England, the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Service to develop a set of metrics that can be used to monitor local progress towards the integration of health and social care. A draft set of metrics will be trialled during 2016/17, so that central government, national bodies and local system-level partners can together review and refine them before agreeing a final set of integration metrics at the end of the trial year.

Suicide: Females

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2016 to Question 26077, on suicide: females, if he will make it his policy to collect that information centrally.

Alistair Burt: There are currently no plans to make the collection of this information a policy.

Community Care: Mental Illness

Matthew Pennycook: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support and guidance his Department has provided to clinical commissioning groups and NHS mental health trusts to support innovative home treatment and specialist nursing in the community for patients requiring mental health treatment.

Alistair Burt: The majority of mental health commissioning is the responsibility of clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). The specialised commissioning teams within NHS England work with CCGs and providers to ensure that the impact of any changes to community based services and specialised services upon the whole care pathway are handled in a coordinated way. The planning guidance for the National Health Service for 2016/17 includes a requirement for CCGs, with their mental health provider, to have in place a service development and improvement plan for the development of local Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Teams with a particular focus on ensuring that they are able to offer intensive home treatment with frequent visits to patients’ homes. The recently published report of the independent Mental Health Taskforce sets out plans for expanding crisis resolution home treatment teams across England to ensure that each is available to deliver 24/7 treatment to support 12,000 more adults by 2020. This will be backed by over £400 million investment, as announced by the Prime Minister on 11 January, to enable 24/7 treatment in communities as a safe and effective alternative to hospital.

Mental Health Services

Mr David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to ensure that all clinical commissioning groups take account of the findings of the Commission on Acute Psychiatric Care's review led by Lord Crisp before they take steps to alter in-patient provision.

Alistair Burt: Clinical commissioning groups have responsibility for ensuring that they are meeting the needs of those requiring acute psychiatric care. They are supported, and held to account for improving patient outcomes, by NHS England. Both the Department and NHS England are considering the Commission’s recommendations. In the meantime, we have been clear that local areas should be making immediate improvements and phasing out ‘out of area’ treatments.

Health Professions: Migrant Workers

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nationals of (a) the EEA excluding the UK and (b) non-EEA countries who are doctors or dentists have been brought before a fitness to practice panel and not suspended by their professional regulator as a result of poor English language skills in the last three years.

Ben Gummer: The information requested is not held by the Department. The nine health and care professional regulatory bodies within the United Kingdom are responsible for operational matters concerning the discharge of their statutory duties including fitness-to-practise (FtP) investigations in respect of their registrants. Relevant information provided by the General Medical Council (GMC) and General Dental Council (GDC) is included below. The GMC reports that four European Economic Area (EEA) doctors and no non-EEA doctors have appeared at a tribunal due wholly or partly to lack of English language skills, since its legislation changed in June 2014 to introduce inadequate English language skills as a grounds for finding a doctor’s fitness to practise is impaired. Of the four, two were suspended and two had conditions imposed on their registration. Conditions restrict a doctor’s practice or require them to take remedial action. In these cases, the purpose of conditions is to help protect patients while allowing the doctor to remedy any deficiencies in their practice or knowledge of English. This amends the answer given in PQ25540 on 8 February 2016. In addition, since the GMC was given new powers in relation to the language skills of doctors, it has dealt with 3,289 registration applications from EEA doctors. 1,970 of them were able to demonstrate that they met the English language requirements as part of their application and were granted registration with a licence to practise. 1,319 doctors were registered but have not been granted a licence to practise either because they did not provide any evidence of their English language skills or the evidence they provided was insufficient. Doctors cannot practise in the United Kingdom without a licence to practise. The GDC has been taking the requirement to be sufficiently fluent in written and spoken English into account when assessing FtP cases since it updated its Standards in 2013. Since this change there has been one EEA dentist brought before a FtP panel who was not suspended where the category of ‘not fluent in English’ was recorded as consideration. The decision of the FtP panel was to remove this dentist from the GDC register.

Nurses

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nurses were brought before a fitness to practise panel for lack of competence, communication issues between 2013 and 2015; and how many such nurses (a) were and (b) were not suspended.

Ben Gummer: The information requested is not held by the Department. As an independent body the Nursing and Midwifery Council is responsible for operational matters concerning the discharge of its statutory duties including fitness-to-practise investigations in respect of its registrants.

General Practitioners: Mid Sussex

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the waiting time for a non-urgent appointment with a GP in Mid Sussex constituency.

Alistair Burt: The information required is not collected centrally. NHS England advises that the latest GP Patient Survey for January 2016 on waiting times at general practitioner surgeries was conducted by Ipsos MORI on behalf of NHS England. That survey found that for patients served by the NHS Horsham and Mid Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group, 59% feel that they do not wait too long, whereas 33% feel that they do wait too long. This compares nationally with 58% and 34% respectively. The full Ipsos MORI GP Patient Survey results for the NHS Horsham and Mid Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group can be found at: https://gp-patient.co.uk/slidepacks/January2016#N

Strokes: Health Education

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding his Department allocated to the Stroke/Act FAST campaign in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16.

Jane Ellison: Public Health England took over all the public health campaigns formerly run by the Department on 1 April 2013, including Act FAST. In 2014-15, the media spend on the Act FAST campaign was £850,000. Spend in 2015/16 is provisional and will be available in full shortly. Spend on public health campaigns, over £25,000, are published routinely and available on gov.uk: www.gov.uk/government/collections/phe-spend-over-25000

Nabiximols

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Government's response of 5 November 2015 to the e-petition, We demand the British Government reschedule cannabis, and to section 1.5.23 of Management of Multiple Sclerosis in Adults, whether the NHS plans to prescribe Sativex for multiple sclerosis-induced spasticity.

George Freeman: Cannabis and its preparations are Class B controlled drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Cannabis is also subject to international drug control under United Nations Conventions. In the United Kingdom, it is illegal to produce, possess, supply, import and export cannabis except under Home Office licence. Apart from the drug Sativex, which is derived from cannabis, the UK does not recognise herbal cannabis as having any medicinal use. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published a clinical guideline on the management of multiple sclerosis in October 2014 that does not recommend Sativex, a cannabis-derived treatment, as a cost effective use of National Health Service resources. NICE’s guideline on multiple sclerosis is published at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg186/resources/multiple-sclerosis-management-of-multiple-sclerosis-in-primary-and-secondary-care-35109816059077

Epilepsy

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to develop the collection of information on the prevalence of epilepsy in England.

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve access to speciality care for people with epilepsy.

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the proportion of people with epilepsy in England and Wales who are living seizure-free.

Jane Ellison: In its guideline, Epilepsies: diagnosis and management, published in 2012, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) sets out that epilepsy is estimated to affect between 362,000 and 415,000 people in England. The guidance highlights that accurate estimates of incidence and prevalence are problematic to achieve because accurately identifying people who may have epilepsy is difficult. Regarding seizure control, NICE states that two-thirds of people with active epilepsy can have their epilepsy controlled satisfactorily with anti-epileptic drugs.  Data on prevalence and seizure rates in patients aged 18 and above are also available via an interactive tool develop by Public Heath England’s Neurology Intelligence Network (NIN). This data is drawn from current and past indicators from the Quality and Outcomes Framework, the annual reward and incentive programme for general practitioner practices. The NIN tool can be found at the following link:  http://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile-group/mental-health/profile/neurology   The NICE guideline recommends that people having a first seizure should be seen as soon as possible by a specialist with training and expertise in epilepsy. Once diagnosed, and with a management strategy in place, the majority of people with epilepsy can be cared for through routine access to primary and secondary care. Those whose epilepsy cannot be satisfactorily controlled or whose condition cannot be appropriately diagnosed should be referred to specialised neurological service, commissioned nationally by NHS England. NHS England has published adult and paediatric specifications setting out what providers must have in place to offer specialised care for patients with neurological problems, including epilepsy. In addition, NHS England also commissions a national Children’s Epilepsy Surgery Service, designed to improve the uptake and access to surgery in those children for whom surgical control or amelioration for their epilepsy is a possibility. More information can be found at the following links: www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/spec-services/npc-crg/group-d/d04/ www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/spec-services/npc-crg/group-e/e09/ www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/e09-child-epilepsy-surg.pdf

Epilepsy

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the financial implications of removing the quality and outcomes framework indicator for seizure freedom (EP002) in 2014.

Alistair Burt: When the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) indicator EP002 was retired, all of the funding in relation to it was reinvested back into general practitioner (GP) contract core funding (global sum) payments and into new enhanced services to be delivered in general practice. The reduction in the number of QOF indicators was intended to reduce bureaucracy, unnecessary patient testing and unnecessary frequency of patient recall and recording. It was also to allow GPs to use their professional judgement to treat their patients according to best practice guidelines.

Epilepsy: Children

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people under the age of 18 have epilepsy.

Jane Ellison: The Department does not collect this information centrally. The Joint Epilepsy Council in Epilepsy prevalence, incidence and other statistics, (December 2011) estimated that around one in 220 (0.5%) children under the age of 18 have epilepsy in the United Kingdom.

Vetting

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2016 to Question 25396, what communication Ministers of his Department have had with the Metropolitan Police Force and other forces which are not meeting service level agreement standards for the time taken to complete local disclosure checks.

Alistair Burt: My Ministerial colleagues and I have not had any communication with the Metropolitan Police and other forces on this matter. The Disclosure and Barring Service monitors the performance of all police disclosure units and works closely with any force, including the Metropolitan Police Service, not meeting its targets.

Pharmacy: Internet

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to review plans to introduce a click and collect service as a result of P2U service failings over the 2015 Christmas period.

Alistair Burt: All pharmacies should have a business continuity plan in place which covers not being able to provide a full or any service. NHS England, in conjunction with the General Pharmaceutical Council, worked urgently with Pharmacy 2 U once it became apparent that this pharmacy was failing to deliver its normal service over the Christmas period. They ensured that Pharmacy 2 U instigated several actions in addition to the business continuity plan that the pharmacy already had in place. The ability to ensure that, where necessary or as requested by the patient, prescriptions were diverted to another pharmacy of the patient's choice was made significantly easier by the fact that the majority of the prescriptions dispensed by Pharmacy 2 U are sent to them via the Electronic Prescription Service. Patient safety was the number one priority at the immediate time. Pharmacy 2 U resumed its normal service, as publicised, on 11 January 2016, and there now continues to be a review of the events that led to this situation to ensure that the review of community pharmacy in England is fully informed and national lessons can be learnt from this unexpected and unfortunate event.

Smoking

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to reduce the smoking rate in (a) local authorities in which it is above the English average and (b) other local authorities.

Jane Ellison: Local authorities, funded by the Government’s public health grant, have responsibility for providing a programme of tobacco control that meets the needs of their populations. Public Health England provides local authorities with a range of data and tools including the Local Tobacco Control Profiles for England and a local youth smoking mapping tool, to assist local priority setting and support delivery. This Government has committed to publishing a new tobacco control plan to further reduce the prevalence of smoking in England. Addressing health inequality and local variation will be a priority of the new strategy. We are working with local authorities to develop this element of the plan to support and empower local action, where tobacco control can be tailored to the unique needs of local populations.

Cancer: Research

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to increase the proportion of cancer patients who are offered the opportunity to take part in research in (a) trust areas in which participation rates are below the English average and (b) other areas.

Jane Ellison: The proportion of cancer patients in England who participate in clinical trials and other research studies rose more than four-fold between 2001 and 2012, from under 4% of cancer patients to more than18%. Research participation in countries for which data exists has lagged behind the United Kingdom, at around 3% to 8% of cancer patients. For this reason, several other countries (including USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan) have sought advice from leaders in the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network (CRN) and adopted elements of the UK approach. Since 2012, the number of cancer research studies to which English patients have been recruited through the NIHR CRN has continued to rise year-on-year. Patients were recruited to 550 different studies during 2011-12, compared with 750 in 2014-15 and over 780 already in 2015-16. However, the nature of clinical research questions has changed, reducing the demand for very large numbers of patients per study. Consequently, despite the continuing increase in research studies, the total number of patients recruited per year fell slightly during 2012-14. However, there has been a 10% increase in recruitment to date in 2015-16 compared with the same months in 2014-15. As well as monitoring overall recruitment to cancer studies, the NIHR CRN is continually monitoring detailed performance including regional variation and variation between different cancer types, and taking steps to improve lower-performing areas. From April 2015, the NIHR CRN has comprised 15 Local Clinical Research Networks (LCRNs) and a national co-ordinating centre, which together have responsibility for study delivery in England. The LCRNs include local clinical leadership for cancer research. These Cancer Specialty Leads meet regularly with the national team to compare performance metrics and best practice, so that leaders from below-average recruiting LCRNs can learn from those with the highest performance. From April 2015, each LCRN has been required to identify clinical leaders for 13 different cancer subspecialties, each of whom works with the LCRN team to ensure that there is a research portfolio in place for patients within their subspecialty, and liaises with the national group developing trials in that disease type. This new system is improving the coordination of national and local research strategies, and may underlie the upturn in recruitment which is now being observed.

Mental Health Services

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential benefits of talking therapy for the treatment of mental health.

Alistair Burt: The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme is a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommend evidence based intervention, helping adults with common mental health conditions (including anxiety and depression) to recover. The latest data shows that that nationally we are achieving a 45% recovery rate and 61% rate in reliable improvement. In total over 733,000 people have recovered from their condition since the start of the IAPT programme, and between October 2008 and February 2015 over 100,000 people moved off of sick pay and benefits. The Impact Assessment published in 2011 shows that the IAPT programme would expect to deliver improved health and wellbeing of those treated, as well as savings to the National Health Service and wider economic benefits such as reductions in sickness absence.

Pharmacy

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what changes his Department plans to pharmacy funding; and what assessment his Department has made of the effect of those changes on small independent businesses.

Alistair Burt: Community pharmacy is a vital part of the National Health Service and can play an even greater role. In the Spending Review the Government re-affirmed the need for the NHS to deliver £22 billion in efficiency savings by 2020/21 as set out in the NHS’s own plan, the Five Year Forward View. Community pharmacy is a core part of NHS primary care and has an important contribution to make as the NHS rises to these challenges. The Government believes efficiencies can be made without compromising the quality of services including public access to medicines. Our aim is to ensure that those community pharmacies upon which people depend continue to thrive and so we are consulting on the introduction of a Pharmacy Access Scheme, which will provide more NHS funds to certain pharmacies compared to others, considering factors such as location and the health needs of the local population. Our proposals are about improving services for patients and the public and securing efficiencies and savings. A consequence may be the closure of some pharmacies but that is not our aim.

Mental Health Services: Children

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the reference in the Prime Minister's speech on life chances of 11 January 2016 to health liaison psychiatry services in A&E departments includes provision for paediatric mental health liaison psychiatry services in A&E departments.

Alistair Burt: Yes. The Secretary of State’s speech of 11 January does include these provisions, as new investment will apply to all age groups.